Skip to content

A town square for an unsquare town

redbankgreen

Standing for the vitality of Red Bank, its community, and the fun we have together.

WHAT’S FOR LUNCH? AN ORCA OF A BURRITO

120516queso7-500x242-3228583Queso Grill’s steak burrito: you’ll need a fork and knife to eat this “wet” behemoth.  (Photo by Susan Ericson. Click to enlarge)

By SUSAN ERICSON

wfl-whats-for-lunch-181x220-2273671On Newman Springs Road in Lincroft, fast-food joints Luigi’s Famous Pizza, Stamna Taverna and Subway share a parking lot. It’s a bit like a food court, but in a strip mall.

A south-of-the-border lunch hankering nudged PieHole through the door of another of the center’s tenants: Queso Grill, where we were stopped short by the number of decisions that would need to be made before we could order lunch.
120516queso4-500x264-5489373Chicken tostada, a special of the day at Queso Grill, below. (Photos by Susan Ericson. (click to enlarge)

120516queso10-220x136-9670336Mexican in theme, in case you couldn’t guess by the name, the menu includes steps on how to order to your specifications, the first decision being the style. Do you want a “wet” burrito that you’ll need to eat with a fork, or a burrito wrap, which can be hand-held? A burrito bowl, tacos, a taco salad, fajitas, nachos or fish tacos?

Step two is a choice of protein: shrimp, steak, chicken, pork or ground beef, or a combination thereof. Throw into the mix three different bean options, and two rice choices, and we’re still not done. Step three is where you choose your toppings from among seven salsas, lettuce, cheddar jack cheese, sour cream, jalapenos, chopped onions, and cilantro. Premium toppings such as guacamole, peppers and onions, and queso cheese are also part of the decisionmaking process.

Are you a Queso customer? Share your thoughts with others!

PieHole suggests first-timers check out the four-page menu online in advance to avoid the feeling that you’re holding up other customers.

We went for a steak burrito ($12.95) with just about everything from the toppings area. An orca of a meal, it came filled with tender grilled steak, brown Spanish rice, black beans, lettuce, cheese and guacamole. It was scrumptious, even if we could only get halfway through it.

We also had a chicken tostada ($6.95) from the daily specials menu. Crunchy and spicy, we’ll order this again.

Neither order was wimpy in flavor or heat: jalapenos were liberally applied. The only transgression we note was a tasteless, watery green salsa, but a basketful of hot sauce alternatives on every table offers all the heat your heart desires.

A dozen burger options, hot dogs, gyros, and quesadillas also populate the menu, with additional pages dedicated to salad bar selections, which are also ordered in steps.

While plenty of customers come in for takeout, many others slide into the comfortable cushioned booths. Vivid walls and and pretty murals bring a cheerful transformation to the dining area.

Queso Grill is open Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Friday and Saturday until 10 p.m.; and from noon to 9 p.m. on Sunday. It’s BYOB, and delivery is available.

susan-ericson-9177851

Remember: Nothing makes a Red Bank friend happier than to hear "I saw you on Red Bank Green!"
Partyline
RED TRUCKS AT RED ROCK
A small dishwasher fire at Red Rock Tap and Grill was put out quickly by firefighters overnight, causing minimal damage. Red Bank Fire Depar ...
CREATIVE COVER UP
The windows of Pearl Street Consignment on Monmouth Street were smashed when a driver crashed their car through them injuring an employee la ...
THEY’RE BACK!
Ospreys returned to the skies over Red Bank this week for the first time since they migrated to warmer climes in late fall. With temperature ...
SPRING IS SPRUNG
RED BANK: Spring 2024 arrives on the Greater Red Bank Green with the vernal equinox at 11:06 p.m. Tuesday.
RED BANK’S FINEST – AND NEWEST
Red Bank Police Officer Eliot Ramos was sworn in as the force’s newest patrolman Thursday, and if you’re doing a double take thinkin ...
EASTER EGG MAYHEM AT THE PARK
An errant whistle spurred an unexpectedly early start to the Spring Egg Hunt on Sunday, which had been scheduled to begin at eggsactly 11am ...
PRESEASON DOCKWORK
RED BANK: With winter winding down, marina gets ready for boating season with some dockwork on our beautiful Navesink River.
CORNED BEEF AND DISCO FRIES?
It’s Friday, and smart Lent-observing Leprechauns know the pot of gold at the end of Red Bank’s rainbow is actually the deliciou ...
SURFBOARD DITCHED
It’s a violation of etiquette in surfing to ditch your board.  (it could hit another surfer and hurt them). But someone appears to ha ...
ELSIE, TAKE ME WITH YOU!
Soaked by pouring rain with the temperature hovering in the low 40’s, this sign in the window of Elsie’s Subs on Monmouth Street ...
WALK THIS WAY
PARTYLINE: Before-and-afters of a sidewalk cleanup on West Street.
SOGGY NOTION
RED BANK: Breezeway sculpture captured the mood downtown as heavy rains fell Saturday morning.
HOME DELIVERY
RED BANK: After a subdivision, an instant house rises on a new Catherine Street lot.
COMMUNITY PROFILES
For Black History Month, Red Bank's Community Engagement and Equity Advisory Committee has been running a series of local profiles on Facebo ...
HEARTY FAREWELL FOR HARDY
RED BANK: Council to honor DPU supervisor Rich Hardy, who retired recently after almost 39 years of keeping things running.
HOMEBOUND? READ ON…
RED BANK: Can't get to the public library? It's now offering free delivery and pickups for homebound borough residents.
TAMING A BEAST OF A WEEK
RED BANK: After the second snowfall of the week, a borough family finds the perfect use for it – a Godzilla snow sculpture.
RED BANK: LIBRARY CLOSED, BUT THE HILL’S OPEN
RED BANK: Though the library was closed by a snowstorm, kids got to enjoy the riverfront property's steep slope Tuesday.
LIGHT(HOUSE) MAKEOVER
This year, getting ready for spring means a midwinter makeover for Strollo's Lighthouse in Red Bank.
TODAY: LOCAL PUPPY COMPETES ON ANIMAL PLANET’S “PUPPY BOWL”
Red Bank’s very own rescue puppy, Biscuit, is set to compete in Animal Planet’s Puppy Bowl this Sunday, February 11, at 2 PM. Th ...