Baja Joe's

This is not a place for a great lunch/ dinner if you're expecting high quality good seafood or Mexican dishes ( especially for the prices here.) It is more like bar food. Fried and smothered with too much sauce and not authentic. We ordered the tilapia mojo de ajo style and it was SWIMMING in so much buter and garlic that it was not tasteful at all. No other seasonings on it. The salad was old and the rice and potatoes tasted like garlic as well. Its not de-boned so eating it was a challenge. Very very greasy. The adobado burrito was a good size, however , it was not actually adobado. It was smothering in some dark reddish brown sauce and was made of stew beef. The waitress was kind, the atmosphere was semi clean,there was only one other person there. Its attached to a bar, so its dark in there. The restroom didnt have paper towels or a air hand dryer so your only option is to use to to dry your hands. It MAY be ok for a drink if you like that type of environment, but definitely not a fantastic place to eat.

We love this place! We go, mostly for lunch, at least once a week. The staff is fabulous, Fabi, Zelina, Ricardo, George, Anna, and the rest of the staff are so friendly and welcoming. *I edited my original post. I realized that it sounded more critical than I intended.* I just feel the need to review the changes in the food and beverages in the last few months. We are disappointed in some of the changes. When we first started going to Baja Joe’s, over 10 years ago, I was told that the fish tacos were made with sea bass, now they are tilapia. I noticed a change in appearance a month or so ago but they tasted okay until our last visit. So I asked if the fish had changed in the past few months. I was told it was tilapia now. Also, I used to get really inexpensive wine. I knew it was not a great wine but it tasted okay and was a decent price. Then they changed to a more expensive wine. It does taste a little better, but at $10 a glass (for a very small pour) I would expect more. I can buy THIS EXACT WINE for $10-$15 at the grocery store. I don’t mind paying $10+ a glass if it’s something I can’t easily/inexpensively get myself. Prices have gone up on all of the menu items, which I understand. It’s happening everywhere. I know that the restaurant’s costs have also increased. Still love this place. We dine here as frequently as we once did.

I am going to say nothing but good about Baja's-Georgggieee who is my most favorite!! He always has my order my drinks and my service on point! the atmosphere is very homely, I can always expect a new experience with the people who go there. This place was me and my husbands first Place we went to when we started dating and we have been going for the last 13yrs. Yes there has been many different bar tenders and servers, but I can say we love going to Baja's! especially when my Georgie is there!! He is for sure made the place my spot even when there weren't good times! THANK YOU BAJA JOES for bringing us Georgie

As of 11-2025 it is under new ownership and management. My husband and I dined in on 11/13.My husband had questions regarding the change of quality of the carne asada. It looked and tasted more like ground beef rather than grilled carne asada. The flavor tasted like generic prepackaged taco seasoning from the grocery store. ( the quality & taste had never been an issue on our MANY visits prior). We were told BY THE NEW MANAGER ““well, that’s the way it is now.”” If that’s the response we get as customers I can only imagine how new management treats their employees. Seriously, do better🙄 🙄 The rest of the OG staff has always been a delight and prior management has always been pleasant regarding feedback. ❤️

When you’re in the vicinity of Baja Joe’s and someone says they’re hungry, you really don’t have to think twice about what to do… there is Baja Joe’s. This quaint yet spacious and colorful eatery is straight out of what you’d find in Baja California with its bright colors, rustic beach atmosphere, beachy drinks and of course, the music and vibes of the southern Pacific beaches! Their offerings are extensive including from elaborate Starters, Seafood Cocktails, Soups, Salads, Sides, not to mention their broad array of Entrees with some darn good Seafood and House Specialties. The food’s not bad either, it’s on the pretty darn good side… we gorged on Queso Fundido with which they uniquely used a mozzarella cheese blend baked and served with crunchy and warm house-made chips, the Chips & Salsa are most definitely house-made and tasty with a choice of moderately mild or slightly kicking spicy salsa – go for the spicy – really good, a scrumptious Taco Salad with a huge taco shell bowl bursting over with lettuce, along with their refried beans, a fair rice preparation along with plenty of cheese and a delicate and crunchy pico de gallo on our choice shredded beef, then there is the fab rendition of Bistec Rancheros, a perfectly seasoned and chargrilled steak with bell peppers and onions on a red nicely seasoned tomato sauce, and my wife’s order of the Tampiqueña Combo with tender grilled carne asada steak strips with a thick cheese enchilada and a side of freshly prepared super delish guacamole, and I ordered the Combo #2 Chicken Enchilada in their red sauce, and very nicely marinated ground beef. To get a genuine feel of being on vacation without footing the airline bill – give baja a try, it makes fun for you with vibe, music and food. Buena comida… Olé Amigos, Viva Baja!

Simply one of my favorite Mexican food restaurants. All the seafood is amazing and the green chile pork is so flavorful and tender. The shrimp diablo plate is a favorite too. I live in Chandler but go out of my way to stop by if I’m anywhere close. Staff are always friendly and helpful w suggestions. Oh, the salsa is my favorite of any other restaurant. I’ve lived in Mexico and this is as authentic as you can get.

Fun festive atmosphere, good food, and friendly staff. Definitely Baja Mexican food with plenty of seafood selections. When in town I'll come here.

I love going to Baja Joes! Every time I visit, I look forward to being served by George. His service is consistently top-notch, and he always makes sure everything runs smoothly. No matter how busy the restaurant gets, George remains efficient and attentive. His upbeat, friendly attitude truly enhances the dining experience! it's clear he enjoys his work and makes every guest feel welcome. I highly recommend this place! Food is great!!

Prices went up but the food is good. No more Sunday football drinks or food specials - even though they advertise it. Watch your bill. They restarted the automatic gratuity over $100 bill. Don't double tip. The staff is excellent.

The Toritos were absolutely delicious--yellow peppers wrapped in bacon and stuffed with shrimp made for a perfect bite. I also tried the Campechana with octopus, shrimp, and clams; it was refreshing and very well prepared. However, I was a bit disappointed with the carne asada tacos. The meat wasn't very tender or flavorful, so I'd probably skip the more traditional Mexican fare here. Baja Jose's does well when it comes to mariscos. The environment is relaxed, and our server did a fantastic job. 3.5

Restaurant had locals - families with small kids but there were empty tables. There was only 1 server so hostess warned us in advance service would be slow. We should have left. Hostess decided to step up and took on waitress service for us. Ordered 3 tostadas and a taco with shredded beef. They were awful. Toppings were all lettuce and not much else. Missing flavor in the meat and no extra salsa offered. Refried beans were like paste - no flavor in these and rice. Maybe I'm just used to more flavorful tacos/tostadas - even Taco Bell.

It has been four years since I was last here and it's still a great place! I wish I lived closer so we could come more often. Tonight I ordered the taco salad with grilled chicken and it was really great. My boyfriend had a chimichanga. I didn't take any food pictures tonight cause I didn't plan on writing another review since I reviewed this place so long ago, but then after such great service by the staff, particularly Diego, I felt like I should. He was very friendly and very attentive and knowledgeable about the menu. He's also a little bit of a prankster, he told us they were out of water when I ordered water as my drink. :) really great welcoming atmosphere, nice place to hang out! Won't wait four years to come back!

A family favorite! We've been coming here for years and there's something for everyone - even the grandbabies. Friendly staff and great food - I especially like the oysters (pictured).

Really cool local Mexican spot with a laid-back atmosphere. Only bummer is that the bar doesn't have the channel to watch the D-backs -- kind of a letdown for an Arizona spot. Still a great place to get some drinks with friends

My first time visiting this restaurant. I thought it would be a good place to meet with family in town. Ambience was OK. Service was on the slow side. Food was descent, but rather pricey. I would probably give it a 6 1/2 out of 10.

I always like coming here because I really like the margaritas. And, now that they have it I'm looking forward to trying out their new happy hour. Everything looked like a great deal. Today I had the fish tacos. I got one grilled and one breaded. Definitely get the grilled because the breaded was really dry, crusty, and hard. I did not like it, but the grilled was alright.

I want to like this neighborhood spot, but I feel like it was overpriced and not that great. Drinks were pretty weak and expensive. For a divey kinda place I at least expect a good drink. They charge for chips and salsa, fine. And the rest of the food just seemed pretty expensive for what you get. And there is a weird chemical smell in there. Not even like cleaner. I don't even know how to describe it. But it's not right. I think I'll skip it on my next trip that way. Service was friendly though, so they have that going! And it looked like a good happy hour.

We love coming to Baja Joe . Great food and great service . Unfortunately we have to bring our friends and family elsewhere if we want to watch the game. We would make it our regular hang out if they played the DBacks games!

Went with a party of nine family members. There was a pretty long wait between ordering and serving, then the wait staff brought the whole order at once. Grandkid's nachos were cold, as was my chile (more like chilly) rellano plate. Only the seafood plates came out hot. I guess they were the last to be ready. Also, some complimentary chips while we waited would have been nice.

Probably this areas best hidden gem! The food the staff the drinks and atmosphere are always amazing. If you are looking for good authentic style food this is where you wanna go

Went for lunch today, ordered an array of seafood dishes. Ceviche, pescado frito red snapper (bomb), chips and salsa/guacamole... good stuff. Service was quick and attentive, food came out fast and fresh. Great choice today.

ordered bean dip and it wasnt bean dip, it was thick refried beans. had no taste. not good.

I haven't been here in about 4 years but when I did come last time it was amazing. Came here tonight with my wife and it was just as amazing as it was then. SO MANY CHOICES but we kept it simple. Steak chimichanga for me. The steak was cooked perfectly. It had awesome flavor. It was tender and juicy. She had the chicken taco salad and the chicken was cooked equally as good. Diego was our bartender we meet a bunch of recommendations for food and drink but like I said we kept it simple. But he's a cool dude and is very entertaining, friendly and checked on us consistently. Make sure you try to meet Diego at the bar. HIGHLY RECOMMEND!

Great michealadas, chips, salsa, guacamole and ceviche. Staff was super friendly and on point!

I love this place! We've been coming here for years. I've never been disappointed with the food. Carne Asada is awesome.

Stephanie Rivera is the best bartender in the universe.. her happy and friendly personality her ability to make customers smile.. she's the best.. the shrimp cocktail and the ice cold beer was amazing.. when we walk in she already know what we want.. she also just received her nursing degree so when you go in don't forget to congratulate her on her success

I was skeptical of this place since it was tucked away in a shopping plaza, but I was proven wrong. I highly recommend the mango margarita with a tajin rim. Super delicious. My wife said the first three stars are just for their. Chipotle sauce and the last star is for the margarita. Overall the food was good. There aren't many places that do high end Mexican seafood and this place has it all. It lives up to its name. I got the fajitas and they were good. Maybe second on my fajita list. My friends got the giant bowl of fish, as they called it. An interesting mix of seafood with the star actually being the fried white fish. Service was excellent. Food was good. Drinks were awesome. I was torn on three to four star but I went for four on account of the mango margarita.

Had the Parrillada Mariscos for 2, a large varied sea food delight served heated at our table for 2 in the bar area. For the first time in 5 years, our server/bartender George asked if we would like a bit more room...yes, please! And he moved another two person table over to help us out! He was attentive, provided some chips to go with our guacamole, and generally made our dining experience great! Not sure if he made my margarita but it was one of the best I'd had at Baja Joe's. The guacamole seemed better than normal as well, and I appreciated a few chips to use for dipping. Whatever has changed, it's good. We will dine here more often if our experience with George and the quality of food and service are the new norm.

This is the 2nd time I've been here since the new management took over. The food and service was amazing! I ordered the carne asada plate and my wife ordered the fish tacos. Both dishes were superb. I can't recommend this place enough! So good!

Food is great. The workers there have a very negative, gossipy vibe. God bless them, anyways.

Best happy hour in the valley make sure and try the peppers it is also a great value.

We love this place. We eat here at least 3 time a month. It's a seafood place so stick with the seafood and you'll be pleased. FYI Most the servers include the tip charge on the bill.

Great food. Beautiful people. Try the chimis and the mixed drinks by Diego are priceless.

Don't GO HERE! I have never been so insulted in my life!!!!! If you are black, do not ever come here. We ate our food, paid in cash, gave a nice tip. The waiter took the payment in his hand & said have a nice night. ANOTHER Waiter , who was serving ANOTHER table, NOT Ours, Came TO The Parking Lot!!!!! Came To ThE Car & ask, " Did you pay"? Extremely puzzled, I said, "what did you say"? He said, "Did you pay"? I said, "Yeah"! He said okay and walked back in. I went back inside, & asked for the manager, he had a Sun jersey on. I explained what happened & all he said was "I'm sorry"!!!!! I can tell her didn't know what to say and was shocked himself but his response didn't match my extreme displeasure. I am flabbergasted and have never experienced anything like this!!!!

....Rice seemed to be last weekends' leftovers. Need an updated "Camarones al Mojo de Ajo" recipe. Servers where very attentive, but I am guessing because they force a gratuity fee on the bill. Yeah, forced, and it was only a party of 3. The ambient there is definitely nothing special from an ordinary mariscos restaurant. This place isn't fancy enough nor is the food on point enough to have the gratuity fee forced on the bill. Our waitress would've gotten atip anyway, I am a tipper, but to force it on you with the above mentioned....yeah, I dont think so. Will not be back. Food just not good enough, nor the place fancy enough to have a gratuity policy like that.

not terrible, just nothing super amazing. made a minor mistake on our tacos & took 30 minutes to bring out a hamburger (we had all already gotten our food and were just waiting for this one thing) the drinks were yummy & it was a good time overall. i think we came in at a good time because it wasn't busy at all which means it was quiet but still nothing super amazing but not terrible

Service was excellent. Torritos are AMAZING!! All the food we ordered was delicious. Cons: They bring you chips and salsa, but you find out later they charge you $2.99 Also they added 18% gratuity for a group of 4...

Been here before. It was good. Tried to go today. We wanted to sit at a high top in the bar. Several were available but hostess wanted us crammed into a corner booth by the front door. 6 people. Nobody's allowed to sit in the bar at a hightop because they are too slow, she said. It's not slow. Kind of busy. They just got a little slower though. We left. Had to call the other people and find a different place to spend our money.

We love this restaurant, the food is always delicious and very affordable. We have been going there for years will continue to eat here for years to come. My go to dish here is whole deep fried red snapper.

The first time I've been here with mu husband, things are great, staff are friendly and checking on is, food is properly prepared and drinks are good. But some people working at the bar are nice but too busy to check their customers if needed something. I feel like the people at the bar has some preferences of which customers they would want to serve nicely. Overall, food are good but bad services.

First time here today for lunch, and I was blown away by the quality by not only the service from Ricardo, who was very welcoming, knowledgeable and friendly but the quality of the food. Not only that but the service is very efficient. Their tacos are outstanding ( I had not just 3, but 6 ) and save room for the flan at the end it is absolutely fantastic! One of the very best flans I've ever had ! The tacos on Tuesday are a great value and I just love the vibe of the restaurant!

Great Mexican food and sea food as well. Beer is ice cold. Service is fast and friendly. Highly recommended.

Our 1st time at Baja Joe's. The food was pretty good. The chips & salsa were addicting! The shrimp wrapped in bacon was over fried - lost flavor & was hard 2 chew. The chimichanga was really good - great flavor & really big. The server was really nice & friendly - he always had a smile! Great service! We would try it again

I went there for a margarita and it took over 15 minutes for the two bartenders to serve me. Even though I was sitting at the bar directly in front of them staring them in the face the whole time. The bartender that was suppose to serve me was Diego but he was chatting it up with another customer and ignoring me. They only served me after I called the restaurant and requested to speak to a manager. After that it went downhill, I requested a patron margarita from Diego only to get a virgin margarita. I took it to the bartender that didn't serve me and he agreed it was horrible and remade it in front of me. The immaturity of this bartender is astounding, his name is Diego. Avoid him at all costs!! The bartenders clearly have some sort of animosity towards me for some reason I can't ascertain. I'm just a mixed race man. That lives in the neighborhood and have been coming to this bar long before they both worked here. 6/2/23: UPDATE IN RESPONSE TO OWNER SEAN SMITH: I replied to the owner but that message does not get posted so I decided to edit my initial review and include my comments. Apparently one of the bartenders was unhappy with a tip I left him so he decided to spread rumors about me to the other bartenders whom I've never had an issue with according to one of the bartenders who was working alongside Diego the night I came in. This is totally unprofessional and juvenile! It reminds me of middle school. I generally order their margaritas and leave $1 or $2 tip, per drink. I did call the restaurant and spoke to the general manager a couple weeks ago. She said she would research the issue and call me back. Instead she sicked the owner on me like a pit bull to post this response (similar to how he has responded to other negative reviews) instead of calling me back and explaining the situation in a professional manner. The owner obviously needs to grow a pair, he knows my name and has my phone number so he had the option to call me himself like a man and tell me not to come back. He acts as juvenile as his bartenders so no wonder where they get the permission to act that way! Many of the negative reviews have to do with tips so maybe if he paid his employees better there wouldn't be so many complaints regarding tips! Just read the reviews, it's a recurring theme! Honestly I haven't been back there since and wasn't planning to return as I have found another Mexican restaurant (Garcia's Mexican Restaurant) just down the street and around the corner @ Gilbert & University Dr. They serve chips with hot bean dip as well as salsa (FREE) and have great drink specials (Margaritas are $4.99). I also enjoy the daily food and drink specials at Nando's on McDowell & Power Rd. And no they don't have the most racially diverse staff. They don't have a single black/African American employee working there so that's a false statement. And you stated that a customer left an extra tip because of my tip is BS! That's something you made up and it sounds just like what it is, an unbelievable lie! Your a definite lier and you make up stories. Customers don't care about what other customers leave as a tip! STOP making things up... get more creative in your storytelling!

Fun little restaurant located un Mesa. Authentic Mexican food. Drinks are amazing. Family friendly. Definitely the feel of Mexico.

My wife and I, along with another couple, spent last evening at Baja Joe's. We had read all the reviews, but had heard great things from other friends in our neighborhood. We were delighted with our total experience. We were greeted as valued customers, even though this was our first time at the restaurant. We sat in the sports bar part of the restaurant. Our waiter, George was absolutely a delight. He was very helpful with menu recommendations, both food and drink, and provided excellent service. The quality of the food (chicken, beef and shrimp fajitas, chips and salsa), and the Patron margaritas were great. We strongly recommend Baja Joe's for your next Mexican restaurant experience. Bruce H.

Honestly I made this account just to say this place wasn't it. the rice was mushy and sad, the beans obviously rosarita bagged beans, Fish tacos are always a hit or miss but these were mad mid. the fish & shrimp by itself was good but if you are picky about tortillas flour or corn they have that Walmart tortilla smell. It was my first time here w my family I won't be coming back I was so disappointed and wasn't worth the price. You know that feeling when you order food and it was expensive and it comes out nasty but sit there in disappointment eating it bc you already bought it... that was us As for the service it was great the server was a nice bald man who went above and beyond. Here's a tip **if they don't have complimentary chips and salsa it's a red flag** the carne asada was decent. **I think it's funny the owner replies to all the negative comments saying it's other people's fault for their low quality food and temperamental staff. After he replied to comment I made I took a look at the other reviews and responses and man I had a good laugh (: 1) people saying food was ok keep in mind the got A "D" on their last health inspection from Maricopa county 2) It's sad that this owner lashes out on customers who tell them the issues they had w the food or staff, yet doesn't make changes maybe from what I've read in these comments it used to be a good restaurant but has gone downhill. 3) he brought up the nothing is free statement and ranted on a bit about me being entitled over chips & salsa. However I meant that if you go to a Mexican restaurant and they charge for that then it's probably not very good. Also if they use cheddar cheese in quesadillas it's probably bad, lookout and be wary. - I ate all my food regardless if it was bad bc I already paid for it, also by the way he reacts to comments about the staff and quality of food he most likely wouldn't want to hear this to his face and would have that same attitude to his customers def a boomer. Scroll down to look at his "grade A" product.

Chips are very good, bacon wrapped peppers were great, and the 4 entrees we had were really good! Great and fast service. Cool vibe!

We love Baja Joes! Never had a bad experience and have been coming for years. Our go to is the mixed fajitas and cheese enchiladas for our girls. Margaritas and beer pitchers. Nice happy hours!

This used to be a place that my family and I enjoyed. It used to have wonderful service and friendly environment. THIS time however, the service was crap. The waitress did not crack a smile. My 7 year old asked why the lady seemed like she didn't want to be here. Come to find out that our sever is the MANAGER! No wonder the environment is crap now. On top of that if you spend more than $100 you are charged gratuity. I guess it's okay then for the MANAGER of the restaurant to give you terrible service knowing that they are charging you regardless. Will never take family there again. I will no longer recommend their services again.

I ordered a taco salad and it came out taco soup. The salad was tiny!! It was way below the tostada shell. It is embarrassing!! I got 2 cups of taco salad soup. They skimped on lettuce!!! Lettuce is a fillet and costs NOTHING!!!

We like this place. It's a bit divey but food is good and menu has a lot of options. Margaritas are hit or miss. One thing we recently noticed is that gratuity is often added. We have been here a ton of times and no one has ever mentioned it! So looking back, many times we tipped double :/ I could expect this for parties of 6 or more which is typical, however we recently only had 4 people and it was still added. Although I don't mind this, I think the servers should be pointing this out instead of double dipping. And for those going make sure to check your receipt!

I want to love this place. I keep trying it & am not really impressed. I've been here maybe 5-6 times and usually get a margarita/beer or iced tea with dinner. I've ordered an iced tea twice & I quickly realized it's flavored with something. After I tasted it I remembered I had the same issue last time but it was too late. I am not sure why neither time the waiter wouldn't say "hey it is flavored with whatever." This evening we sat at the bar & I had wings & some flavored iced tea I wouldn't normally want but whatever. All the tv's were on the Spanish channel which is fine if there's a game or something but the news was on so it just made it awkward. With prices rising & going out costing more & more I think service should be more of a priority & I feel like you get what you get here. I'd rather pay more elsewhere and get better service/food. I'm sure I'll be back sometime.

I was appalled that they add a gratuity to every check.... 20% no less. Not a large party mind you. No mention of it and they still have a tip line on the credit card signature receipt which seems like a shady way of getting double tips. Won't be back

Great time and great service! George, Jose Diego and Caleb are great behind the bar and the food is delicious. Highly recommend the carne asada tacos. Will definitely be back!

I gave this establishment 2 stars because the people were nice and we didn't have to wait too long to get our food. We started off with the ceviche, which was pretty solid. Then soon after we received our entrees. Although the food came out quickly, some items were cold (rice and beans), which leads the eater to believe they have been sitting out for a bit. The red Chille beef was slightly overcooked while the bell peppers were slightly undercooked. The seafood enchiladas had great flavor, but were accompanied by a few pieces of shell. I did enjoy the atmosphere, so I'll probably try again in a few months. .

Wow calling someone ignorant is way out of line for a manager... We spent $73 before tax and your people charge me 18% auto.... i have always left from 20 to 30 % but being forced at 18% it is your brass managment that is causing your employees lost money.... all i did was state the law for az but you went off.... I would hope the owner of Baja J has a conversation with you on how to handle upset customrrs. Obviously you have no customrr skills.....