I was in the mood for a great fish taco one day and wanted to try something different than the usual Rubio’s and Wahoo’s. So, I opened up Yelp, searched for fish tacos and set my sights on a restaurant called Baja Fish Tacos.
Even though I have never heard of Baja Fish Tacos, I found out that it first opened in Santa Ana in 1996 and they now have five locations and one opening soon in Mission Viejo. This review is for the Laguna Hills location which happened to be the closest to me.
Baja Fish Tacos is in a strip mall off the 5 freeway facing Lake Forest Drive. The atmosphere of the restaurant was similar to that of Rubio’s but seemed a bit more personal and laid back. I think the prices for each item were written by hand with chalk, which was hard for me to read and I have good vision. This could have been a problem for older customers or people with poor vision. I liked the television in the corner, especially with Monday Night Football on.
Items ordered were a Fish Taco ($2.75) and Fish Taco And Enchilada Combo ($7.60). The fish tacos both had charbroiled Ono. I was pleasantly surprised when I saw how much fish was inside of each taco, especially with such a great fish as Ono. If you are a fan of Rubio’s fish tacos that use fried fish, then you might not be a fan of the charbroiled Ono. But if you like to eat fresh and healthy and also filling, then Baja Fish Tacos is the place for you.
Adding salsa to the taco is a must to add a kick of flavor and make it a little more juicy. The salsa bar included the standard red salsas, green salsas, limes, onions, and cilantro.
As for the Enchilada Combo, the beans seemed different than most Mexicans restaurants. They were freshly made like you would at home and therefore appeared healthier than other places that cover their beans in cheese and grease. Under the enchilada I was also surprised to find a large amount of rice. The rice mixed well with the beans. Finally, the enchilada came with your choice of fish, chicken, or steak. I choose steak since I already had fish. The enchilada, just like the taco, contained a lot of meat. I enjoyed it but it became forgettable compared to the fish taco.
A combo and a drink will run you close to $10.00. Next time I visit I probably will order a couple of tacos instead of the combo. Not that the combo was bad but I think two tacos for $5 is a better deal. I highly recommend Baja Fish Tacos to those who enjoy Rubio’s and Wahoo’s, even though it might be a little different. This is the type of place I will probably find myself returning to at least once a month.