Baja Fresh Mexican Grill

Thursday, April 17, 2003
Copyright © Las Vegas Mercury

Eat: Recommended Restaurants

On the cheap

By James P. Reza

Since 1992, when Wolfgang Puck opened the Las Vegas outpost of his Beverly Hills celeb-friendly eatery Spago, finding a pricey meal in Vegas has been easy. But there are times when instead of fishing for the platinum, you're fishing for loose change, wanting an entire meal for the price of a martini elsewhere. No worries, for Las Vegas sports plenty of places where the prices are low-rent but the food is not.

Baja Fresh Mexican Grill

4760 W. Sahara Ave.; 878-7772

(plus 10 other locations)

$; Casual

Baja Fresh is the ultimate cheap eatery--a clean, well-lighted place to enjoy a burrito. Though the burritos here are considerably pricier than 49¢ (some reach $5), the quality is surprising considering the speed with which it is delivered. The egalitarian lunch crowd is a mixture of suits and shorts, all enjoying the indoor/outdoor seating and grilled-to-order food.

Capriotti's Sandwich Shop

324 W. Sahara Ave.; 474-0229

3981 E. Sunset Rd.; 898-4904

$; Casual

Ten of these no-frills deli counters are sprinkled across the valley, a testament to the bustling business earned by the two originals. Bags of chips and canned sodas are an afterthought, but with messy subs this good, who cares?

Coffee Pub

2800 W. Sahara Ave.; 367-1913

$; Casual

It's been around long enough (19 years) to earn a nickname and a steady following, and done what is necessary to keep them. "The Pub" was among the first off-Strip breakfast/lunch joints for the power players, with a friendly, efficient staff serving breakfast, soup and sandwiches on freshly baked bread. Outdoor seating makes this a fave stop during spring and fall.

Doña Maria's

910 Las Vegas Blvd. South; 382-6538

3205 N. Tenaya Way; 656-1600

$; Casual

This few-frills family-owned Mexican cocina features the expected combination plates, but choose from the tamales menu--pork, chicken, or cheese--as this is Doña's true fame claim. Experienced diners know to request a bowl of the smoking hot chipotle salsa, with a snowy margarita to quench the flame. There's always a futbol match on the big screen, and lunch tables fill fast

Gyro Time

5239 W. Charleston Blvd.; 878-6393

7660 W. Cheyenne Ave.; 658-9729

$; Casual

This Las Vegas institution recently opened a northwest location, but we'll stick with the original on West Charleston, where two generations of lunching clock punchers have satiated the midday pangs with a tasty gee-ro. Juicy rotisserie beef and lamb is stuffed inside a fresh-baked pita pocket and slathered in tzatziki (cucumber) dressing.

Komol

953 E. Sahara Ave.; 731-6542

$; Casual

This unassuming hole-in-the-wall ranks among the favorite eateries of the hepcat set. It's unpretentious and inexpensive, and offers substantial vegetarian choices on its Thai-centric menu. Oddly (or perhaps not), Chinese-American comfort food such as egg foo yung is also available, and you are bound to find a friend or two while dining here.

Montesano's Italian Deli

3441 W. Sahara Ave.; 876-0348

4835 W. Craig Rd.; 656-3708

$; Casual

One visit illustrates why Montesano's has grown from a small storefront deli to a bustling diner (the Craig Road location, within a bustling middle-class neighborhood, is the cozy, de facto diner the Sahara location once was). The menu is a mishmash of New York Italian dishes; the pizzas are all delicious, and the sandwiches (including sliced-to-order egg salad) show why locals line up to buy fresh bread.

Pita Place

3429 S. Jones. Blvd.; 221-9955

$; Casual

Inexpensive and delicious, the Pita Place--located in a converted old-style Taco Bell--is the kind of ethnic dining other cities sport in spades. Considered one of the city's largely undiscovered gems, the unassuming Pita Place serves delicious Middle Eastern salads, kabobs and falafel, and offers all of its food for take-out.

Promarres Thai Food

6362 W. Sahara Ave.; 221-9644

$; Casual

This tiny, family-run storefront does a great deal of take-out business, though that should not dissuade you from stopping in and grabbing one of the few small tables. Thanks to the folks who run the place, the food is authentic Thai (though they will temper the hot peppers if you ask). We like the Pad Thai noodles, vegetable curry, Thai iced tea and the prices.

Sonio's Cafe

3900 W. Charleston Blvd.; 870-5090

$; Casual

The livability of a metropolis isn't measured at the bloated middle, but at the top and bottom where personality thrives. It's places like Sonio's--an unassuming storefront diner serving food fresh, fast and inexpensive--that other cities take for granted. Rotisserie chicken is the specialty, while pita wraps and huge salads are excellent alternatives.

Thai BBQ

1424 S. Third St.; 383-1128

$; Casual

This longtime Vegas eatery has made a name for itself by satisfying the take-out urges of many a lunching downtown cube farmer, and is the place many in town savored their first taste of Thai iced tea and coffee. The namesake barbecue is tasty, the satay very good, and the soup a nice alternative. Be careful what and how you order; this food can be hot.

Wildflower Cafe

3818 Meadows Lane; 258-1554

$; Casual

Once a photo and flower shop with a small cafe (!), Wildflower serves a loyal lunch clientele that adores its indoor/outdoor seating and quiet but central location. The country decor can be off-putting to the average hipster, but the healthful menu choices, including unusual fresh bread sandwiches, homemade soup in bread bowls, and smoothies, are consistently excellent.