enjoy the simple, but good food. The fish tacos and chips and Salsa always satisfies.
(3)
Jo R.
I hate that I'm always rushed here, no matter how early I show up. Tonight- 75 minutes before closing. I was reminded that they were closing at 9 when I ordered. When my food arrived (half an hour later how hard is it to make tacos?), I was again reminded that they were closing "soon". And then the sweeping under my feet began. This must be a not-so-subtle message from the business that I'm not welcome. Sigh. Tacos were dry and weirdly greasy at the same time. Epic fail. I give up on Baja.
(1)
Rajesh K.
One more of my go to lunch spots. The first time I went here with no expectations on the quality of the food but was pleasantly surprised. I love their chips and the varieties of salsa they have. The food especially the fajita bowl, the burrito and the fish tacos are really good. For vegetarians try the veggie burrito or their quesadilla. Both are non greasy and really tasty. Mix up the different salsas especially the spicy red and the mango for an additional kick. Overall a really good lunch spot and I am a regular here now
(4)
Casey G.
I come here all the time on my lunch breaks. The food is good quality, the price is great, and it's fast. I would recommend this place for sure.
(5)
Shawn B.
I got the burrito for my first time here, although it was a very nice size burrito for the price and the free chips while you wait was a plus.. Overall the taste was mediocre. I wasn't really impressed... Me being from Texas, where there are a vast number of mom and pop places as well as mainstream restaurants, this one was very average compared to those.
(2)
Courtney E.
This was my first visit to Baja Fresh in a long time. I had a coupon for a free taco - now granted the coupon said valid for chicken or carnitas only, but I don't eat meat. I went in and asked if I could redeem the coupon but get the taco with no meat. I figure they would be happy to save a little bit of meat and just give me a veggie taco. They woman checked with the manager and came back telling me no, they wouldn't do it. Sorry Baja Fresh, you lost my business.
(1)
Eleshia T.
Clean eatery and the staff are coo. I love Baja tho~let me get that 2 chkn taco combo with mild sauce please!
(3)
Mike D.
Bad customer service! I'm very disappointed especially in the manager. I ordered a three burritos for myself and my two co-workers and knowing one of my co-workers is severely allergic to avocado I wanted to double check what he was getting didn't have any guacamole. I said that has no guacamole right and was answered with no guacamole ok. Well I got back to work with the burritos and his had guacamole on it. I called spoke with the manager and was basically not in these words was told I was lying because that burrito doesn't come with guacamole. Meanwhile my co-worker is taking Benadryl and getting out his epi pen just in case he ate too much in his first bite. They eventually agreed to remake the burrito and I walked back and got it but I was made to feel like I was lying to them just so I could get free food. I won't be back and it was an annoying and frustrating experience.
(1)
Dan N.
It's tough coming up with reviews for places like Baja Fresh where there are hundreds of them all over the country, and at least 8 or so that I'm aware of just in the Portland metro area. But that said, some things make it easy, especially when you compare them not to each other, but rather to competitors in the "Mexican fast food" genre. Anyone can shove greasy ground beef and fakey-cheese product into a tortilla and call it a burrito. But, as the name implies, Baja Fresh focuses on fresh ingredients and in particular fresh produce. You'll typically find a lot more fresh plant matter in their offerings: tomatoes, cilantro, onions, peppers and the like. As someone who tries to keep an eye on my ever-expanding tummy, Baja Fresh has a number of very tasty offerings that are very health-friendly. My particular favorite is "Tres Tacos" (3 soft tacos). Their tacos come with a choice of fish, steak, chicken or pork (and I've seen shrimp as well) and lovely soft corn tortillas. They typically run around 220 calories each, and are low in fat, so that's a happy meal for this diner. I've never had a single greasy bite from them. I love their salsa bar with its several different flavors (Pico de Gallo, spicy red, spicy green, a sweet mango salsa and all-you-can-stand cilantro and jalapenos). I've found their consistency to be excellent. Pretty much I can walk in to any Baja Fresh and order the same thing, and it will come out the same. You know what you're getting. The prices are a tad higher than the average fast-food joint, but here, you know what you're getting and the food is fresh. I've eaten here more times than I can count, and through the years the food has been just fine.
(4)
Leia C.
Nice and friendly staff. I like the free chips and salsa while I wait for my order. It's not the fanciest place you'll ever go to, but so far I've been very happy with all the Baja Fresh locations and staff. I like that you have an option of eating vegan, like a vegetarian burrito, ask for guac instead of sour cream! Yummmm!
(4)
Bob M.
I went in here for lunch today all prepared to hate on it. I'd go to Baja a little bit when we lived Down South and when we moved up here, not knowing the local joints, we hit the Beaverton location that, five years later, I was still recovering from. There are a lot of competitors on three corners of Cornell and 25th, and of the corporate choices, this is the best. They present something interesting, really. It really has little at all to do with what one is going to find in Mexico which just adds fuel to the authentic vs. who cares? argument. This is fake Mexican food, but don't let that discourage you; it's good stuff and seems like it should be authentic...something. It is not a cheap lunch, however. We spent $21 for two meals, sodas, and chips. Yeah, you pay extra for chips. That's pretty annoying. The chips taste like they were freshly made from a Tostitos bag. I had the taquitos, since this really was our second lunch of the day, and I somehow thought this would be a lighter choice. It came with black beans and Spanish rice with a little cojito (think sort of a Mexican Parmesan) cheese sprinkled on top. These were very good, which surprised me some as this is where most Mexican-style joints fall on their serapes. The taquitos were disappointing, though. OK, so why did I give these slobs a couple of bucks for Tostitos? Certainly not for what they call "Smoky Queso Fundido"--you and I would call it Velveeta melted with a little salsa--no, we wanted in on the salsa bar. Theirs is actually very good. The molcajete salsa is roasted peppers, chunky, smoky and fiery, there is this Pina salsa--the salsa of the season, whatever that means--made with pineapple and peppers which is really very good. There are others, plus jalapenos, limes, cilantro and the like. Now, you can grab all of this and enjoy it with your meal, which might be the best way to discourage management from thinking that they have a sly way of selling those damn bagged chips, but we were hungry and our blood sugar was too low to think of all of this as we ordered. If this can be your issue in the same condition, go get a pen now and write it on your arm so you will remember it: "Bob said ef the chips" Now, SO got one of those Baja bowls, which despite the silly name, is really a very good lunch item and I can recommend that heartily. So, would I head in again? Well, there are places across the street hiding behind the Burgerville that may be a more adventuresome and probably a cheaper lunch, but if you want a standard issue lunch that is a little out of the ordinary, or if your Mom won't let you cross the street, this could be a good choice. I'm giving it 2 1/2 stars rounded up to 3 since it is supposed to snow and that makes me generous with stars. Your mileage may vary.
(3)
Tiffany M.
I had a Baja Fresh near my high school, and have fond memories of scarfing down many a steak baja burrito. Although I'm not such a steak lover these days, I am still inclined to bomb through the veggie burrito iteration. It's filled with grilled fajita veggies (bell peppers, onions), your choice of black or pinto beans (uh, black duhhhh), lettuce, and I leave out the sour cream. I like that you have a choice now of a whole wheat or regular tortilla as well. The chips are free with your order, and their salsas are pretty great at the salsa bar. I go through my phases of getting their salads as well, which are very good especially with the grilled shrimp. The only gripe with the salad is that it's pretty pricey for what you get. I crave Baja often, which means we're in there once every couple of weeks. The service is consistently pleasant and speedy, and there is almost always someone out on the floor cleaning up. As far as let's call it "Mexican-style" food goes I'd say this is perhaps healthier and fresher than some of the other options in the Hillsboro area.
(4)
Rebecca Q.
This place is awesome, one of the workers there I met in the tattoo shop across the street its awesome they hire people with body art! the whole staff is always really nice and the salsa is always really good and fresh I go here almost after everytime I am at the tattoo shop across the street love this place is a cheap fancy taco bell!!
(5)
Kathleen S.
I was disgusting. Me and my husband when during lunch rush hour and it was bad. What happened was we ordered nachos and a burrito. And once we got the food the nachos looked like they had been sitting out for hours. It tasted the same as well. Than my husband was eating his burrito and stopped and pulled a long black curly piece of hair out of his mouth. He got sick to his stomach and had to go to the bathroom to vomit everything up. The manager on duty just said, "Oh, I'm sorry what would you like me to do than?" Excuse me! Really! Never again am I going there and I tell everyone that I come across that is going there what happened so they know about it. So disgusting I would never recommend this place for anyone. And by the way I have bleach blonde hair and my husband has very very short brown hair. Because the manager even asked, "Are you sure it's not one of your guys hair?"
(1)
Dillon D.
Generally I like Baja Fresh. Good food at a reasonable price. However, THIS Baja gets my order wrong more often then they get it right. I am constantly having to have my meal remade because they get it wrong.
I have visited this baja fresh location quite a few times now since its close to my office. I am a big fan of Baja fresh as they offer a good variety of fresh Salsas and the chips is also free :) This is a good place to go if you dont want a heavy mexican meal at a proper mexican restaurant but you are in the mood for something more than a burrito or taco (Chipotle Like menu). I have pretty much tried all their menu items like Nacho chicken burrito, Chicken fajitas, Baja chicken bowl and the tacos. I like all of their items as the quantities are pretty good and the flavor is also nice. The salsas they provide are a good side for all these dishes.
(4)
Kristen M.
Your typical Baja Fresh chain Eat here a lot and weight you will gain I usually get a steak burrito And scarf it down incognito =X I love their fresh made chips! Great to eat with their salsa dips! Although it's not authentic Believe it or not, the lunch hour is pretty hectic! Hillsboro is known for a lot of Mexican food Which is why sometimes, this place can get "booed" (for not being authentic) I don't mind at all because it's nice and clean And yes, as a matter of fact, I do eat bean(s)! Nonetheless, this isn't the best nor the worst Just know that later you'll be in great thirst From all the sodium you've consumed Don't worry, drink water and you won't be doomed! PDX 30 Day Yelp Challenge #16 of 30
(3)
Brandon H.
Awesome food! I didn't see the Diablo burrito on the menu but they made it for me when I asked anyways.
(5)
Cris L.
Have coupon for BOGO burrito with purchase of 2 large drinks from school fundraiser. These dolts insist I have to buy 2 new plastic cups instead of paying the $0.99 refill (every other Baja Fresh just charged us refill fee). Food is 3.5 stars, but you lose 2 stars for pi$$ing on mother nature.
(1)
Justin H.
Now this falls into the category of almost fast food but way better quality and the prices doesn't really come close to taco bell but closer to a sit down restaurant. This place is for sure fresh though, you can taste it. The salsa bar is interesting and often keeps me occupied, although can be crowded if the place is busy. The service is pretty fast and now you get chips while you wait, which is nice. This location works nicely for lunch, not sure about anything else. What I really like is the ICED Tea machine. I'm a fan of ice tea. I believe it's PIke's. ** says free wifi but I couldn't get my Iphone to connect for some reason. YMMV
(4)
Harriet S.
My family loves Baja Fresh. This location is clean, quick and friendly. The best thing for me as a vegetarian is: this is the only place I know where they actually lower the price when you order something without the meat/chicken! We like their fajitas. There are no veggie fajitas on the menu but if you ask for it, they can make it and they subtract (I think) $1 from the price of chicken fajitas. We also love the salsa bar.
(5)
Amy L.
I miss this place and can't wait to go back the next time I'm in Hillsboro. I love the bean and cheese burrito and the awesome hot sauce and salsa bar. Quick and efficient service. Clean. Reasonable prices.
(4)
Christine H.
We frequent here after guitar lessons on Monday's. Today we tried the new summer tacos since we had a coupon for them. Service is always good so is the Baja salsa .... Smokey with a bitemmmm. We each had a chicken achiote taco and a summer shrimp taco. I would order the shrimp taco again for sure... Lots of lime and tomatillos! The chicken one was overpowered by the lime and they really skimped on the chicken.... Ill be back many times over...out of convenience, good service, and I feel like im eating somewhat healthy fast food
(3)
Kathy B.
I had a fajita platter. It looked great and there were all the things you'd expect to have on a fajita. But there was no flavor. Completely devoid of that delicious fajita taste I was expecting. The black beans and rice were also very blah. I'd heard good things about the salsa bar, so was looking forward to the pico de gallo and the mango salsa. What a disappointment! The Mango salsa tasted like fruit cocktail. The pico de gallo was not only bland but it also had a chemical taste, like it had been sitting in a plastIc container for a long time. I threw away the salsas and used my own salsa at home to give some flavor to the chicken fajita. That was my first time there (we had a coupon) and it was also my last.
(2)
Frank C.
Another very well known chain of Mexican restaurants with tons of locations. But hey, the food is good, served quick, affordable, high quality and healthy. And it's a great option for lunch or dinner (breakfast too, I think, but I haven't tried that yet). I always get the Burrito Mexicano with chicken. Man, that's a lot of food! But terrific. I've also had the two soft taco option for a good, cheap (under $5) lunch. For salsa, I've always had the Pico De Gallo (safe bet) but I recently tried the hotter salsa, the "Baja." It's their Medium heat salsa - blackish with yellow stuff and bits o chilles. You can't miss it. Wow, that stuff is awesome! Definitely hot - but not life threatening. My new most favorite salsa. Here's a tip I learned from a dude at work. Squeeze some LIME into your glass of simple water. Nice!
(4)
Kal C.
I love this place. Seriously. I've almost given up on Chipotle, so I needed another place to fulfill the quasi-mex market. They offer more of a selection, free chips while you wait, an awesome salsa bar, and friendly staff. They have cheaper options as well. I have always had bad fajita experiences, so I just thought I hated them in general. My boyfriend orders them, so I tried some of his. Oddly enough, I've had them at expensive mexican restaurants and they are not nearly as good as the fajitas at Baja. Their shrimp is yummy. I love the mahi mahi tacos. Their mexican rice is better than most. For the price and the quality I cannot complain.
(4)
Curtis C.
Always a good, fast lunch option. I love the mocajete salsa; all the fire roasted veggies are so flavorful. Carnitas burrito Mexicano is my standard lunch choice, and it never fails. I usually get a lunch, plus an afternoon snack out of one burrito.
(4)
Mitch M.
Yummm! Mold! Stopped by after a run to the credit union and grabbed a carnitas burrito to go. Got back to work, starving. Unwrapped the burrito, and noticed it was pre-made. Nice and toasty outside, like it was grilled, but I was only there for two minutes, and it was cold. Oh well. Took a big bite, and got a mouth full of mold! I nearly puked on my keyboard. Seriously.... mold. I'd take it back and tell them where to shove it, but it's not worth the 40 minute round trip. I'll just take my business elsewhere.
(1)
Cheryl M.
The Hillsboro location has improved a lot since a few months ago. On previous trips, it was obvious that cleaning was not a top priority - dirty floor and tables, filthy salsa bar, etc. But, tonight it was clean, and the employees were friendly and seemed to care about taking care of what the customers needed. They brought our food to us at the table, asked if we needed anything else, and thanked us on our way out. That's all I ever expect from any place. Good customer service goes a long way. I will definitely be back in a few days to see if the good improvements continue. The pork carnitas tacos with a pronto guac are my favorite here.
(4)
Jacob M.
Food was good for a catered event. However when you call in your order 4 days ahead, with an explicit pick up time, you'd expect it to be ready. However I walked in and was told "ooopps we forgot, We'll get right on making it." Lesson learned, when doing a catered event hire a caterer to deliver the food and avoid the headache of dealing with the restaurant lunch/dinner Food: 5 stars Catering Service: 1 star - Was attempted an up-sell beyond my original order with no offer for a discount. Total: 2 stars because of the painful attempt of a full-price up-sell.
(2)
T B.
Not sure why the odd reviews here. This place is good becauae of the fresh ingredients and the awesome salsa bar....we make our own fresh salsa at home, but really appreciate that baja does a consistent job at making fresh salsas and you get to chose from 6! (not just one) and get as much as you want. Truly a treat for the senses. Enjoy.
(5)
Tom S.
I like to stop by for a quick burrito here on occassion. The local shop has a current special on weekends for a $5 baja burrito. add free chips and you have a decent lunch. I am seriously missing the mango salsa they had for a while. That was fantastic. The burritos are large and very filling. I haven't tried the other menu items as I don't go too often and when I go, I know what I want. I think this chain is one of the better "fast food" mexican chains. I'm pretty sure it's healthier than Taco Bell.
(3)
Matt C.
I have to say that I am shocked by the positive reviews this place gets. I'm guessing most reviewers are coming from the point of view of the food being healthier than most fast food joints. It can't be for flavor, because there is none. I've referred to this place as Baja Blah for years due to the lack of flavor. Don't try spicing things up at the salsa bar either. I find all of their salsas very bland and monotone. Other than a good deal of the very kind, service oriented employees, there is nothing authentic or Mexican about this place. It's great for kids and toddlers though. Absolutely no spices to upset their sensitive tummies. If you want real Mexican flavor though, you'd probably do slightly better at a Taco Bell. Seriously.
(2)
Joshua M.
The odd thing about Baja Fresh is their claim of not using lard or MSG is really what's holding them back. Sure sure those ingredients aren't super healthy, but boy do they add some flavor to Mexican food. All in all for a fast food type of place Baja Fresh is fairly decent, more authentic than the vast majority of sit down Mexican restaurants in Portland, and comparably more affordable.
(4)
Brad N.
I've had other things at Baja Fresh and liked them. Today I bought the "Nacho" burrito - no cheese to be seen. Just a lot of beans. Really disappointing.
(3)
Janet W.
Freshly prepared before your very eyes, this place is a nice alternative to most fast food restaurants. It's a little more expensive but satisfying, filling and tasty. BF is a chain but I've only dined at this location. The restaurant was spacious, decor was pleasing, and they had some surf competition, (or something!) on the big screen TV. Kids menu came in handy for the little sports.
(3)
T B.
This is a good spot to hit for quick mexican take out. They offer several "healthy" options like the grilled mahi mahi tacos (complete with cabbage, pico de gallo, avocado on a corn tortilla) and the kid's size rice & beans (8oz) which is not on the menu but they make on request. I like to order the rice and beans and add guacamole and sour cream for a 500 calorie lunch!
(4)
Chris H.
Its been a while (like 5 years) since I've been here. I went as I wanted to pick up some lunch as well as some dinner. The gal at the counter was so nice. made sure I recieved everything and let me know of the salsa bar which I already knew of. Food was pretty good. I had the chicken Tacos. They were a bit spendy though ($2.20 for ala carte) and you get two soft corn tortillas stuck togethter with a scoop of meat and a half a handfull of cilantro and onion. but the salsa bar makes up for it. You choose your own salsa as well as lime wedges and more cilantro! (I love that stuff) They have an open kitchen, meaning they don't cook behind any walls. If you dine in, they bring your order out to your table.
Sorry, Store hours have not been updated. If you are the owner of this restaurants. Please update the store hours.
Specialities
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : Free Has TV : No Waiter Service : No Caters : Yes
If you enjoy Taco Tuesday, then you have officially fallen in love with the Mexican Food. The main grain of Mexican cuisine is maize. Also known as corn, maize is grown for the past 9000 years after the crop was discovered by the people in Mayan civilization. Mexican empire flourished when they started growing beans, tomatoes, chili pepper, sweet potato and cactus. Till this date these ingredients are used in cooking authentic Mexican dishes and drinks.
Great use of spices, fresh chili pepper dishes like fajitas, tortilla chips, corn chips, salsa, chimichangas, burritos, nachos and quesadillas are invented in America. But when you are looking for authentic Mexican food then you must find a restaurant in the city that serves Rajas con Queso, Garbanzo in a Guajillo Chile Sauce, Pork Filled Chiles Rellenos, Chiles en Nogada, Molcajete Salsa, Pico de Gallo and Frijoles de la Olla. An eye-opening fact – Mexican don't like their food hot. They use fresh chili and other spices to create a flavor that lingers in your mouth.
Mexican food is great for those who are Gluten Intolerant as they use Corn instead of wheat in most of their dishes. Also, you can easily find many beans based Mexican dishes. Another dish which didn't get similar glory as tacos or nachos is the Mexican hot chocolate. If you love something hot on a chilly day, then go for Mexican Hot Chocolate. On merry days, you can enjoy the authentic Mexican Drinks like Tequila, Mezcal, Tecuí, Sotol, Bacanora, Charanda, Posh O Pox, Puebla and Pulque. Mexican Cuisine is for people who enjoy strong drinks and hearty meals.
Allan K.
enjoy the simple, but good food. The fish tacos and chips and Salsa always satisfies.
(3)Jo R.
I hate that I'm always rushed here, no matter how early I show up. Tonight- 75 minutes before closing. I was reminded that they were closing at 9 when I ordered. When my food arrived (half an hour later how hard is it to make tacos?), I was again reminded that they were closing "soon". And then the sweeping under my feet began. This must be a not-so-subtle message from the business that I'm not welcome. Sigh. Tacos were dry and weirdly greasy at the same time. Epic fail. I give up on Baja.
(1)Rajesh K.
One more of my go to lunch spots. The first time I went here with no expectations on the quality of the food but was pleasantly surprised. I love their chips and the varieties of salsa they have. The food especially the fajita bowl, the burrito and the fish tacos are really good. For vegetarians try the veggie burrito or their quesadilla. Both are non greasy and really tasty. Mix up the different salsas especially the spicy red and the mango for an additional kick. Overall a really good lunch spot and I am a regular here now
(4)Casey G.
I come here all the time on my lunch breaks. The food is good quality, the price is great, and it's fast. I would recommend this place for sure.
(5)Shawn B.
I got the burrito for my first time here, although it was a very nice size burrito for the price and the free chips while you wait was a plus.. Overall the taste was mediocre. I wasn't really impressed... Me being from Texas, where there are a vast number of mom and pop places as well as mainstream restaurants, this one was very average compared to those.
(2)Courtney E.
This was my first visit to Baja Fresh in a long time. I had a coupon for a free taco - now granted the coupon said valid for chicken or carnitas only, but I don't eat meat. I went in and asked if I could redeem the coupon but get the taco with no meat. I figure they would be happy to save a little bit of meat and just give me a veggie taco. They woman checked with the manager and came back telling me no, they wouldn't do it. Sorry Baja Fresh, you lost my business.
(1)Eleshia T.
Clean eatery and the staff are coo. I love Baja tho~let me get that 2 chkn taco combo with mild sauce please!
(3)Mike D.
Bad customer service! I'm very disappointed especially in the manager. I ordered a three burritos for myself and my two co-workers and knowing one of my co-workers is severely allergic to avocado I wanted to double check what he was getting didn't have any guacamole. I said that has no guacamole right and was answered with no guacamole ok. Well I got back to work with the burritos and his had guacamole on it. I called spoke with the manager and was basically not in these words was told I was lying because that burrito doesn't come with guacamole. Meanwhile my co-worker is taking Benadryl and getting out his epi pen just in case he ate too much in his first bite. They eventually agreed to remake the burrito and I walked back and got it but I was made to feel like I was lying to them just so I could get free food. I won't be back and it was an annoying and frustrating experience.
(1)Dan N.
It's tough coming up with reviews for places like Baja Fresh where there are hundreds of them all over the country, and at least 8 or so that I'm aware of just in the Portland metro area. But that said, some things make it easy, especially when you compare them not to each other, but rather to competitors in the "Mexican fast food" genre. Anyone can shove greasy ground beef and fakey-cheese product into a tortilla and call it a burrito. But, as the name implies, Baja Fresh focuses on fresh ingredients and in particular fresh produce. You'll typically find a lot more fresh plant matter in their offerings: tomatoes, cilantro, onions, peppers and the like. As someone who tries to keep an eye on my ever-expanding tummy, Baja Fresh has a number of very tasty offerings that are very health-friendly. My particular favorite is "Tres Tacos" (3 soft tacos). Their tacos come with a choice of fish, steak, chicken or pork (and I've seen shrimp as well) and lovely soft corn tortillas. They typically run around 220 calories each, and are low in fat, so that's a happy meal for this diner. I've never had a single greasy bite from them. I love their salsa bar with its several different flavors (Pico de Gallo, spicy red, spicy green, a sweet mango salsa and all-you-can-stand cilantro and jalapenos). I've found their consistency to be excellent. Pretty much I can walk in to any Baja Fresh and order the same thing, and it will come out the same. You know what you're getting. The prices are a tad higher than the average fast-food joint, but here, you know what you're getting and the food is fresh. I've eaten here more times than I can count, and through the years the food has been just fine.
(4)Leia C.
Nice and friendly staff. I like the free chips and salsa while I wait for my order. It's not the fanciest place you'll ever go to, but so far I've been very happy with all the Baja Fresh locations and staff. I like that you have an option of eating vegan, like a vegetarian burrito, ask for guac instead of sour cream! Yummmm!
(4)Bob M.
I went in here for lunch today all prepared to hate on it. I'd go to Baja a little bit when we lived Down South and when we moved up here, not knowing the local joints, we hit the Beaverton location that, five years later, I was still recovering from. There are a lot of competitors on three corners of Cornell and 25th, and of the corporate choices, this is the best. They present something interesting, really. It really has little at all to do with what one is going to find in Mexico which just adds fuel to the authentic vs. who cares? argument. This is fake Mexican food, but don't let that discourage you; it's good stuff and seems like it should be authentic...something. It is not a cheap lunch, however. We spent $21 for two meals, sodas, and chips. Yeah, you pay extra for chips. That's pretty annoying. The chips taste like they were freshly made from a Tostitos bag. I had the taquitos, since this really was our second lunch of the day, and I somehow thought this would be a lighter choice. It came with black beans and Spanish rice with a little cojito (think sort of a Mexican Parmesan) cheese sprinkled on top. These were very good, which surprised me some as this is where most Mexican-style joints fall on their serapes. The taquitos were disappointing, though. OK, so why did I give these slobs a couple of bucks for Tostitos? Certainly not for what they call "Smoky Queso Fundido"--you and I would call it Velveeta melted with a little salsa--no, we wanted in on the salsa bar. Theirs is actually very good. The molcajete salsa is roasted peppers, chunky, smoky and fiery, there is this Pina salsa--the salsa of the season, whatever that means--made with pineapple and peppers which is really very good. There are others, plus jalapenos, limes, cilantro and the like. Now, you can grab all of this and enjoy it with your meal, which might be the best way to discourage management from thinking that they have a sly way of selling those damn bagged chips, but we were hungry and our blood sugar was too low to think of all of this as we ordered. If this can be your issue in the same condition, go get a pen now and write it on your arm so you will remember it: "Bob said ef the chips" Now, SO got one of those Baja bowls, which despite the silly name, is really a very good lunch item and I can recommend that heartily. So, would I head in again? Well, there are places across the street hiding behind the Burgerville that may be a more adventuresome and probably a cheaper lunch, but if you want a standard issue lunch that is a little out of the ordinary, or if your Mom won't let you cross the street, this could be a good choice. I'm giving it 2 1/2 stars rounded up to 3 since it is supposed to snow and that makes me generous with stars. Your mileage may vary.
(3)Tiffany M.
I had a Baja Fresh near my high school, and have fond memories of scarfing down many a steak baja burrito. Although I'm not such a steak lover these days, I am still inclined to bomb through the veggie burrito iteration. It's filled with grilled fajita veggies (bell peppers, onions), your choice of black or pinto beans (uh, black duhhhh), lettuce, and I leave out the sour cream. I like that you have a choice now of a whole wheat or regular tortilla as well. The chips are free with your order, and their salsas are pretty great at the salsa bar. I go through my phases of getting their salads as well, which are very good especially with the grilled shrimp. The only gripe with the salad is that it's pretty pricey for what you get. I crave Baja often, which means we're in there once every couple of weeks. The service is consistently pleasant and speedy, and there is almost always someone out on the floor cleaning up. As far as let's call it "Mexican-style" food goes I'd say this is perhaps healthier and fresher than some of the other options in the Hillsboro area.
(4)Rebecca Q.
This place is awesome, one of the workers there I met in the tattoo shop across the street its awesome they hire people with body art! the whole staff is always really nice and the salsa is always really good and fresh I go here almost after everytime I am at the tattoo shop across the street love this place is a cheap fancy taco bell!!
(5)Kathleen S.
I was disgusting. Me and my husband when during lunch rush hour and it was bad. What happened was we ordered nachos and a burrito. And once we got the food the nachos looked like they had been sitting out for hours. It tasted the same as well. Than my husband was eating his burrito and stopped and pulled a long black curly piece of hair out of his mouth. He got sick to his stomach and had to go to the bathroom to vomit everything up. The manager on duty just said, "Oh, I'm sorry what would you like me to do than?" Excuse me! Really! Never again am I going there and I tell everyone that I come across that is going there what happened so they know about it. So disgusting I would never recommend this place for anyone. And by the way I have bleach blonde hair and my husband has very very short brown hair. Because the manager even asked, "Are you sure it's not one of your guys hair?"
(1)Dillon D.
Generally I like Baja Fresh. Good food at a reasonable price. However, THIS Baja gets my order wrong more often then they get it right. I am constantly having to have my meal remade because they get it wrong.
(3)Tammy D.
Yes I know, its not authentic but I dont care. Their carnita is so addicting, perfectly seasoned, tender but with a crisp edge. My fav is the carnita with fajitas, you get a generous helping of sautéed peppers and onions. Kids love the fundido and quesadillas. I like that they use paper take out containers and not plastic clamshell or styrofoam. This location is always super friendly, never messed up a take out order EVER, and its always so clean. Best part is the salsa bar. All you could want - cilantro, limes, pico de gallo and lots of different salsas of varying heat.
(4)Singaravelan V.
I have visited this baja fresh location quite a few times now since its close to my office. I am a big fan of Baja fresh as they offer a good variety of fresh Salsas and the chips is also free :) This is a good place to go if you dont want a heavy mexican meal at a proper mexican restaurant but you are in the mood for something more than a burrito or taco (Chipotle Like menu). I have pretty much tried all their menu items like Nacho chicken burrito, Chicken fajitas, Baja chicken bowl and the tacos. I like all of their items as the quantities are pretty good and the flavor is also nice. The salsas they provide are a good side for all these dishes.
(4)Kristen M.
Your typical Baja Fresh chain Eat here a lot and weight you will gain I usually get a steak burrito And scarf it down incognito =X I love their fresh made chips! Great to eat with their salsa dips! Although it's not authentic Believe it or not, the lunch hour is pretty hectic! Hillsboro is known for a lot of Mexican food Which is why sometimes, this place can get "booed" (for not being authentic) I don't mind at all because it's nice and clean And yes, as a matter of fact, I do eat bean(s)! Nonetheless, this isn't the best nor the worst Just know that later you'll be in great thirst From all the sodium you've consumed Don't worry, drink water and you won't be doomed! PDX 30 Day Yelp Challenge #16 of 30
(3)Brandon H.
Awesome food! I didn't see the Diablo burrito on the menu but they made it for me when I asked anyways.
(5)Cris L.
Have coupon for BOGO burrito with purchase of 2 large drinks from school fundraiser. These dolts insist I have to buy 2 new plastic cups instead of paying the $0.99 refill (every other Baja Fresh just charged us refill fee). Food is 3.5 stars, but you lose 2 stars for pi$$ing on mother nature.
(1)Justin H.
Now this falls into the category of almost fast food but way better quality and the prices doesn't really come close to taco bell but closer to a sit down restaurant. This place is for sure fresh though, you can taste it. The salsa bar is interesting and often keeps me occupied, although can be crowded if the place is busy. The service is pretty fast and now you get chips while you wait, which is nice. This location works nicely for lunch, not sure about anything else. What I really like is the ICED Tea machine. I'm a fan of ice tea. I believe it's PIke's. ** says free wifi but I couldn't get my Iphone to connect for some reason. YMMV
(4)Harriet S.
My family loves Baja Fresh. This location is clean, quick and friendly. The best thing for me as a vegetarian is: this is the only place I know where they actually lower the price when you order something without the meat/chicken! We like their fajitas. There are no veggie fajitas on the menu but if you ask for it, they can make it and they subtract (I think) $1 from the price of chicken fajitas. We also love the salsa bar.
(5)Amy L.
I miss this place and can't wait to go back the next time I'm in Hillsboro. I love the bean and cheese burrito and the awesome hot sauce and salsa bar. Quick and efficient service. Clean. Reasonable prices.
(4)Christine H.
We frequent here after guitar lessons on Monday's. Today we tried the new summer tacos since we had a coupon for them. Service is always good so is the Baja salsa .... Smokey with a bitemmmm. We each had a chicken achiote taco and a summer shrimp taco. I would order the shrimp taco again for sure... Lots of lime and tomatillos! The chicken one was overpowered by the lime and they really skimped on the chicken.... Ill be back many times over...out of convenience, good service, and I feel like im eating somewhat healthy fast food
(3)Kathy B.
I had a fajita platter. It looked great and there were all the things you'd expect to have on a fajita. But there was no flavor. Completely devoid of that delicious fajita taste I was expecting. The black beans and rice were also very blah. I'd heard good things about the salsa bar, so was looking forward to the pico de gallo and the mango salsa. What a disappointment! The Mango salsa tasted like fruit cocktail. The pico de gallo was not only bland but it also had a chemical taste, like it had been sitting in a plastIc container for a long time. I threw away the salsas and used my own salsa at home to give some flavor to the chicken fajita. That was my first time there (we had a coupon) and it was also my last.
(2)Frank C.
Another very well known chain of Mexican restaurants with tons of locations. But hey, the food is good, served quick, affordable, high quality and healthy. And it's a great option for lunch or dinner (breakfast too, I think, but I haven't tried that yet). I always get the Burrito Mexicano with chicken. Man, that's a lot of food! But terrific. I've also had the two soft taco option for a good, cheap (under $5) lunch. For salsa, I've always had the Pico De Gallo (safe bet) but I recently tried the hotter salsa, the "Baja." It's their Medium heat salsa - blackish with yellow stuff and bits o chilles. You can't miss it. Wow, that stuff is awesome! Definitely hot - but not life threatening. My new most favorite salsa. Here's a tip I learned from a dude at work. Squeeze some LIME into your glass of simple water. Nice!
(4)Kal C.
I love this place. Seriously. I've almost given up on Chipotle, so I needed another place to fulfill the quasi-mex market. They offer more of a selection, free chips while you wait, an awesome salsa bar, and friendly staff. They have cheaper options as well. I have always had bad fajita experiences, so I just thought I hated them in general. My boyfriend orders them, so I tried some of his. Oddly enough, I've had them at expensive mexican restaurants and they are not nearly as good as the fajitas at Baja. Their shrimp is yummy. I love the mahi mahi tacos. Their mexican rice is better than most. For the price and the quality I cannot complain.
(4)Curtis C.
Always a good, fast lunch option. I love the mocajete salsa; all the fire roasted veggies are so flavorful. Carnitas burrito Mexicano is my standard lunch choice, and it never fails. I usually get a lunch, plus an afternoon snack out of one burrito.
(4)Mitch M.
Yummm! Mold! Stopped by after a run to the credit union and grabbed a carnitas burrito to go. Got back to work, starving. Unwrapped the burrito, and noticed it was pre-made. Nice and toasty outside, like it was grilled, but I was only there for two minutes, and it was cold. Oh well. Took a big bite, and got a mouth full of mold! I nearly puked on my keyboard. Seriously.... mold. I'd take it back and tell them where to shove it, but it's not worth the 40 minute round trip. I'll just take my business elsewhere.
(1)Cheryl M.
The Hillsboro location has improved a lot since a few months ago. On previous trips, it was obvious that cleaning was not a top priority - dirty floor and tables, filthy salsa bar, etc. But, tonight it was clean, and the employees were friendly and seemed to care about taking care of what the customers needed. They brought our food to us at the table, asked if we needed anything else, and thanked us on our way out. That's all I ever expect from any place. Good customer service goes a long way. I will definitely be back in a few days to see if the good improvements continue. The pork carnitas tacos with a pronto guac are my favorite here.
(4)Jacob M.
Food was good for a catered event. However when you call in your order 4 days ahead, with an explicit pick up time, you'd expect it to be ready. However I walked in and was told "ooopps we forgot, We'll get right on making it." Lesson learned, when doing a catered event hire a caterer to deliver the food and avoid the headache of dealing with the restaurant lunch/dinner Food: 5 stars Catering Service: 1 star - Was attempted an up-sell beyond my original order with no offer for a discount. Total: 2 stars because of the painful attempt of a full-price up-sell.
(2)T B.
Not sure why the odd reviews here. This place is good becauae of the fresh ingredients and the awesome salsa bar....we make our own fresh salsa at home, but really appreciate that baja does a consistent job at making fresh salsas and you get to chose from 6! (not just one) and get as much as you want. Truly a treat for the senses. Enjoy.
(5)Tom S.
I like to stop by for a quick burrito here on occassion. The local shop has a current special on weekends for a $5 baja burrito. add free chips and you have a decent lunch. I am seriously missing the mango salsa they had for a while. That was fantastic. The burritos are large and very filling. I haven't tried the other menu items as I don't go too often and when I go, I know what I want. I think this chain is one of the better "fast food" mexican chains. I'm pretty sure it's healthier than Taco Bell.
(3)Matt C.
I have to say that I am shocked by the positive reviews this place gets. I'm guessing most reviewers are coming from the point of view of the food being healthier than most fast food joints. It can't be for flavor, because there is none. I've referred to this place as Baja Blah for years due to the lack of flavor. Don't try spicing things up at the salsa bar either. I find all of their salsas very bland and monotone. Other than a good deal of the very kind, service oriented employees, there is nothing authentic or Mexican about this place. It's great for kids and toddlers though. Absolutely no spices to upset their sensitive tummies. If you want real Mexican flavor though, you'd probably do slightly better at a Taco Bell. Seriously.
(2)Joshua M.
The odd thing about Baja Fresh is their claim of not using lard or MSG is really what's holding them back. Sure sure those ingredients aren't super healthy, but boy do they add some flavor to Mexican food. All in all for a fast food type of place Baja Fresh is fairly decent, more authentic than the vast majority of sit down Mexican restaurants in Portland, and comparably more affordable.
(4)Brad N.
I've had other things at Baja Fresh and liked them. Today I bought the "Nacho" burrito - no cheese to be seen. Just a lot of beans. Really disappointing.
(3)Janet W.
Freshly prepared before your very eyes, this place is a nice alternative to most fast food restaurants. It's a little more expensive but satisfying, filling and tasty. BF is a chain but I've only dined at this location. The restaurant was spacious, decor was pleasing, and they had some surf competition, (or something!) on the big screen TV. Kids menu came in handy for the little sports.
(3)T B.
This is a good spot to hit for quick mexican take out. They offer several "healthy" options like the grilled mahi mahi tacos (complete with cabbage, pico de gallo, avocado on a corn tortilla) and the kid's size rice & beans (8oz) which is not on the menu but they make on request. I like to order the rice and beans and add guacamole and sour cream for a 500 calorie lunch!
(4)Chris H.
Its been a while (like 5 years) since I've been here. I went as I wanted to pick up some lunch as well as some dinner. The gal at the counter was so nice. made sure I recieved everything and let me know of the salsa bar which I already knew of. Food was pretty good. I had the chicken Tacos. They were a bit spendy though ($2.20 for ala carte) and you get two soft corn tortillas stuck togethter with a scoop of meat and a half a handfull of cilantro and onion. but the salsa bar makes up for it. You choose your own salsa as well as lime wedges and more cilantro! (I love that stuff) They have an open kitchen, meaning they don't cook behind any walls. If you dine in, they bring your order out to your table.
(4)