Baja Mexican Cuisine   

There's Mexican food and there's "Mexican food." Don't let the quotes fool you: While the first might be more authentic -- i.e. less cheese, more pork skin and pork fat -- the latter isn't necessarily less enjoyable. No connoisseur is going to confuse Baja Mexican Cuisine with the genuine article -- not with this much melted jack cheese oozing off the ceiling vents. But it's one of Hoboken's best-loved restaurants, so maybe it's best not to ask questions. A huge part of Baja's appeal is its deep margarita bench: The high-end permutations on the basic lime-y article are popular, but if you've ever wondered what an almond, cranberry or butter rum margarita tastes like, this is the place to find out. The food that soaks up the every-flavor margs is actually pretty good. They do your basic enchiladas, chiles rellenos and fajitas as well as over-the-top dishes like the Baja Special, which involves chicken and beef fajitas and a sampling of nearly every shrimp preparation on the menu. If that's not overwhelming enough then add the loud, margarita-fueled scenesters here on a weekend night. Yeah, it's like that. -- D.J. Roth