My Prayers Have Been Answered: Midtown Baja Fresh Confirmation
Last October it was just a rumor, but today it is confirmed! Baja Fresh will be opening its first Manhattan location in the old Zen Burger space on Lexington btw. 45+46th. Is Baja Fresh the best Mexican food of all time? Definitely not. I don’t know if East coast Baja Fresh is even as good as the ones on the West Coast (I’ve heard they’re not.) But I do know this… when I lived in L.A. the baja chicken burrito from Baja Fresh was my goto lunch (it alternated with the orange chicken and lo mein combo from Panda Express.) So, a Midtown Baha Fresh means I will never have to even consider eating at Chipotle again.
Now if we can only get a Panda Express, Chick Fil A, In N Out Burger, and El Pollo Loco to follow suit- we’ll be golden!
Posted: 12:15 pm, February 6th, 2009 under Baja Fresh, Fast Food Chains.
34 Comments | RSS comments feed for this post
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34 Comments
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Right near my apartment!!!! YAY!!!
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MMM. Dreaming of Chick Fil A in NYC! That would be dangerous… but oh so good!
Gotta try this Baja Fresh thang. -
Green Cactus would be ace.
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Wow, it’s about time!
It all depends on the ‘team’ as to whether or not it’s a good location. I have two locations equidistant from my house. One is great, and the other, just average.
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This is one of the great days in American legal history: I will have a decent lunch option in the east of Grand Central corridor! Jaysus, Mary and the other one!
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If we could get those all together in one food court, that would be stupendous! Throw in a Hot Dog on a Stick, too, and an Orange Julius!
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definelty and orange julius and in+out!!! Baja is good news… however, i look forward to seeing the LONG LINES… not sure the concept works in teh city… the ones in Jersey are not the quickest at distributing food.
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@ inthefoodcourt: I would love to have a hot dog on a stick location near us. I crave their cheese on a stick all of the time!! I am excited about Baja Fresh though, it will have to do until hot dog on a stick comes along =p
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The East Coast Face off Between in n out and shackshack MUST NEVER be allowed to happen….one would suffer.
IT would be Akin to Anniston saying”enjoy working on Mr & Mrs .Smith babe”
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Yeah, an east coast – west coast burger war would not do, someone like Danny Meyer might get shot which would be sad
as opposed to east-west rap wars, where the more shot the better
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In addition to Chick-Fil-A needing to come to Midtown, we need MOS Burger! They need to come to the States, and no better place to start than here. Zach, I guarantee you’d love it.
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Yay! it’s near Grand Central and the 7 train. Who has the best guac – Chipotle or Baja Fresh?
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Baja’s guac is pretty bad but their salsas are awesome.
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Amen. But don’t forget about Del Taco…. there is nothing like their Chicken Taco Del Carbon with a bag of their .49 tacos and 10 packets El Scorcho sauce.
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i’m working on chick-fil-a. i’m an atlanta native and miss the hell out of my morning chicken biscuits. i sent chick-fil-a corporate an e-mail last week trying to figure out what the hell they’re thinking by not having one here (nyu doesn’t count). they responded that they only open 70 new locations a year and that while they do not plan to open in NYC this year, we can rest assured that “NYC is on their radar.” i say we do an online petition. this is bs.
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I’ve been to Chick-fil-a once in Charleston, SC. It was great. And the drive through cashier’s mom lived in Wantagh, NY right near where I grew up. Small world.
I’d love to have a Chick-fil-a and an In-n-out burger here. Maybe get me a Denny’s on LI and I can die happy.
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denny’s is foul… sorry man
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@Wined & Dined – I’m an Atlanta native too – and am right there with ya on the chicken biscuit thing!
I read something a while ago that said because Chick-fil-a is closed on Sundays (silly Baptists!), they would have a harder time affording the NYC rent prices. One fixed day out of seven with zero sales would be pretty rough.
I’m still holding out hope though…Send the petition my way!
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I want that old Zen Burger sign for my wall.
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Wow, such an upgrade, no matter how much Zach praised zen burger, I mean really a vegiterain burger place, now we have some pretty solid mexican food. Good ridence zen burger hello Baja Fresh
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OMG OMG OMG I literally jumped up from my seat at work while reading this!!!!! I CANNOT WAIT I have been waiting for this day for years and years now. Not having Baja was seriously making me consider moving back to California. Now it is ACROSS THE STREET from my work!! Can’t wait!!
For those of you not familiar, here are the reasons I like Baja better than Chipotle (well to me they are not in the same universe even, but here are the most user-friendly reasons):
1. Chipotle only offers burritos, a few taco options, and salads/burrito bowls. That’s nice but not enough Mexican food options. Baja, on the other hand, has nachos, more salad options, enchiladas, burritos with enchilada sauce, taquitos . . and the list keeps going!!
2. Salsa bar. That’s all I have to say.
3. The chicken at Baja is SOO much better!!
I have noticed that the few Baja’s I have been to on the East Coast don’t live up to their West coast siblings, but something is better than nothing at least.
I CANNOT WAIT!!!
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not sure too many east coasters know about it, but i’d be so happy if we could get a skyline chili out here… it’s the only thing i miss from ohio (besides my family of course)
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My co-worker and I went to eat there today, and we could not get any service. In fact, they would not even unlock their door for us, despite me pounding on the glass for more than half an hour. How rude! We will not be returning. My co-worker agrees with me.
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I am SO SO happy about this. I was seriously considering taking the train to long island just to go to baja fresh. Salsa bar, all the way- I fucking drink the stuff.
Also, there is a chick-fil-a in an NYU dorm- on university and 13th, maybe? You have to look like you go to nyu. I don’t, but I have eaten there successfully. http://www.yelp.com/biz/chick-fil-a-new-york
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The last time that I went to Baja Fresh, they’d done away with the enchiladas. They specially made one for me (which was terribly nice & I didn’t even ask!), but it was sad to find out that they were no longer on the menu. Baja Fresh is decent, but I miss my Mexican food.
I moved here from ATL in July. The people of NYC should all be working together to bring in Chick-fil-a. It doesn’t count if it doesn’t serve breakfast. I fly back to Atlanta once every 3 or so months & I say it’s to visit friends, but maybe 50% of it is to hit up Dwarf House by the airport as soon as my plane lands. Having a sweet, Southern waitress deliver inventive breakfast treats based on Chick-fil-a standbys is just the best ever.
As for losing money on Sundays … I would tithe 10% if it went toward keeping the waffle fries alive.
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Words cannot express how excited I am about this. I spent most of my childhood in southern california and it was between baja fresh and in-n-out for my daily after school lunch. Although its not nearly as authentic and homestyle as the mom & pop mexican joints in san diego, Baja Fresh holds a special place in my heart and I can’t wait until they open up.
I will read intently and wait for the news of when they open up shop. =)
Sadly, I don’t think in n out would ever move here based on their current shipping model. I can’t recall off hand, but I think all their locations have to be within a certain shipping distance from their meat processing plant in north LA.
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Pollo Tropical – florida style…
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OoooOOooo…I was just back home visiting LA, had Baja and decided to take an extra Baja Burrito with me for the flight back to NY. Although I work on the westside, I’ll be making that trek over to Lexington for Baja until i’m burnt out.
I just hope the lines aren’t rediculous AND they bring that mango salsa with them. Yesssir!
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I just spotted this last week! Chipotle will be dead to me when Baja opens YAY!!
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ALLLLLEEEELLLLUUUUJAAAAHHH!!!!
I HAVE BEEN WAITING THE 13YRS SINCE I MOVED HERE FROM LA FOR THIS TO FINALLY HAPPEN!!!!!
(agreed, fck chipotle, and yes we need a chic fil a now too!!!)
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You guys! I love you all- I just happened upon this thread and you’ve all mentioned the restaurants that have been there for me in the past 15 years. I can’t believe someone even mentioned Pollo Tropical…you guys deserve every restaurant you mentioned in NYC. As for me (Seattle), I’ll have to subsist only on Baja Fresh- everything else I left in San Diego a long time ago…
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What a bender. When I was a summer intern in DC, fresh out of California, the fact that Baja Fresh served the best burrito within reach depressed me. Now that I live in New York, I have to say I’m loving the enthusiasm MTLunchers are bringing to the table on this. I’m keeping my fingers crossed for Chick Fil-A!
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@greg stamper, are you gregory from dayton,ohio?
oh my god. oh my god. how did i miss this? it’s right across the street! oh my god. oh my god.