A new taco stand in Lawndale is drawing long lines of South Bay residents who appreciate the taste of an authentic Baja-style fish taco.

The appropriately named Baja California Fish Tacos restaurant on Artesia Boulevard and Inglewood Avenue has a near perfect five-star rating on Yelp since opening its doors two months ago. One reviewer gave the taco shop four stars after complaining that the place was too busy.

The brains behind Baja California Fish Tacos is Martin Vasquez, who has already launched four successful fish taco stands, called Tacos Baja, in East Los Angeles, Glendora and Whittier.

Vasquez opened Baja California Fish Tacos in November without doing any marketing. He said the restaurant has been profitable from the beginning, thanks to generous Yelp reviews and word-of-mouth.

“It’s like people were waiting for us,” Vasquez said. “That’s what was missing here, that Baja flavor.”

The signature dish is the Baja Taco, which includes fish and shrimp. But the battered-and-fried fish taco — with cabbage and pico de gallo salsa — is the most popular dish. Shrimp and fish ceviches, soups, burritos and quesadillas are also on the menu. At a garnish stand with limes and radishes, customers can help themselves to a tray of free oven-roasted and paprika-sprinkled banana peppers — aka chiles gueros.

Vasquez, who is from the Mexican state of Sonora along the Gulf of California, learned Baja cuisine after more than 20 years working in food trucks and Mexican restaurants in Southern California.

“Like everyone, I started at the bottom,” he said.

If business continues to go well, he plans to expand into El Segundo and the beach cities.

Prices at the clean, no-frills establishment are already low (about $2 for a taco), but the price of a fish taco drops to 99 cents on Wednesdays, which creates lines of cars in the parking lot and crowded tables inside.

“On Wednesdays, it’s overflowing,” said Aref Sarwarzad, a cashier at the Mobil gas station across the street. Sarwarzad said he’s seen three or four businesses come and go during the 13 years he’s worked on that corner. This is the first time he’s seen one busy.

Vasquez said his clientele is a pretty mixed demographic.

It’s not just Mexicans from Baja who appreciate a good fish taco, he said. Baja cities like San Felipe, Tijuana and Cabo San Lucas are popular travel destinations for Southern Californians, many of whom have developed a taste for fresh fish and lime.

“Now they don’t have to wait until their next vacation to taste a really good fish taco,” Vasquez said.