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Back 40 Urban Cafe

4.4 (383 reviews)
Closed 11:00 am - 8:00 pm

Back 40 Urban Cafe Photos

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BACK 40 URBAN CAFE ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Casual
Moderate noise
Outdoor seating
Happy hour specials

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Recommended Reviews - Back 40 Urban Cafe

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Back 40 Urban -- storefront
L L.

Cute curb appeal and pretty interior with Key West vibe. Charm continues with very kind and helpful waitress, and she adds a star to my rating, but the food was just not at all worth visiting a restaurant to eat, let alone pay for it. My husband's Cuban was a 3, he says. My bowl was a 1, and my kid's mac n cheese was also a 1. Cuban was prepared like street food, which is great; that's how it should be done. My bowl with Jerk chicken was super bland and felt like they really skimped on quality ingredients, and only included cheap cheese, cheap canned jalapeños, rice (dirt cheap), beans (also dirt cheap), and a very pale tomato. The "jerk chicken" had an extremely watered-down mild herbalness, which I would not call Jerk. The flavors were just not intuitively following any specific culinary profile other than someone's favorite order at a California strip mall bowl shop. No Caribbean flavor palate, nor Mex cuisine, not even health shop-Cali flavor, just quirky and not good. I could not have been more disappointed and sorry I ever listened to reviews. Yuk! My kid's kid meal was soupy mac and cheese, worse than boxed. I was surprised the side of mandarins were canned, gross. My kid didn't even know mandarins came in a can. Yes, with sugar syrup, but it's cheap! Why go to a restaurant to pay for food I can cook BETTER at home? And I make non-boxed mac-n-cheese, and buy non-canned mandarins, so it would be tons better. This is just a joke to serve this in a restaurant. We left before dessert because it had already plummeted as far downhill as it could go. Tried to leave a decent tip for kind service (not the waitress's fault the food sucks), but as far as I'm concerned the cook robbed me of $52; it was absolutely TERRIBLE FOOD!

Dining room
Don C.

Service and ambiance is fine. The food seems a bit Mexican. It was ok. We may need to give it another try. Oh and the menu sometimes doesn't list all the ingredients in a dish so my friend was picking something out of his meal. That's a peeve of mine I tend to ask "no chunky tomatoes, mayo or capers?" Depends on where I am eating

Key lime pie
Wayne M.

Overall we enjoyed dining here for dinner. Parking was easy although I almost drove past them, and the service was excellent, very friendly. We tried the chips and salsa and pretzel apps. Both were very good. The poke bowl was missing the wasabi sauce and I had to go ask if something was wrong because the dish was so dry and not spicy at all. The sauce was ok but not hot like wasabi should be. The Island bowl with blackened grouper was okay, but lacking real flavor. Sante Fe chicken kind of bland. Key lime pie was pretty good. The house location is cozy enough but I feel like it could use a little more warmth. While the food was okay it didn't live up to our expectations, and the missing component to a dish seems odd. We probably won't be back but other may enjoy the dishes more than we did. It is definitely worth a try.

Inside - art work for sale
Ruth B.

First time and super happy I dined here! Unfortunately no photos of the food, I was hungry and dug right in. Three of us shared the sweet potato quesadilla - delish. I had a black bean and brown rice bowl- I added mojo shredded pork- super tasty and big enough for two to share. Hubby had ahi tuna salad- he cleaned his bowl. Friend had two diff types of tacos which she killed. We all enjoyed wine which were still in happy hour for $1 off. Desert was a warm brownie topped with coffee ice cream and toasted walnuts- YUMMY!!! Menu has many Mexican inspired dishes but this t a Mexican restaurant. Good tunes playing and the vibe is just super chill. I will definitely go back- and I can't wait. There is seating both indoors and outdoors.

Tasty tacos.   Especially the jerk chicken
Mark H.

This place is great. Unassuming and casual in an old house. Really good food and nice people serving it. I don't live close but glad I found this place. Highly recommended

Front entrance
Steve D.

We are always on the hunt for a locally owned restaurant to try out. We stumbled on the Back 40 on the way to another destination. So glad we did. We ordered a grouper taco and a cuban sandwich. Both were delicious. If you're in St Augustine, you really should check this place out.

Taco steak & pork
Rich G.

Saturday lunch/early dinner - after 3 pm $1.00 off beers and $3.50 tacos. Great value. Good service good food - small place worth a visit. Parking in front and in back.

Alicia S.

Wow, wow, wow! What else can I say. A special little place that makes you feel at home. Cozy, whimsical and bright! The food was to die for the service was top notch and extremely charming. Will def be returning! Highly recommended 5 Stars All the Way!

wet burrito
Luis D.

Back 40 Urban Cafe was a real nice surprise. My wife had some family in town and they asked us to choose a restaurant to meet and have dinner at. My wife chose this spot and we had never heard of it or gotten a recommendation. We pulled in around 6pm and we got lucky because we got the last parking spot. Parking can be a bit tricky here. We had a group of six people and I think that Back 40 can accommodate a group of eight. Back 40 consists of four or so rooms of various sizes that accommodate different size groups. The front room might be the warmest and has some cups, mugs, and shirts for sale. The room we were in was right next to the kitchen and was super cold. I don't really blame Back 40 though since it was frigid outside. To start our meal we ordered the chips and queso and chips and salsa. The queso was super heavy, but tasty. For our entrees, I ordered the wet burrito and my wife ordered black bean tacos. The food came out super quick. We hadn't even finished eating our chips and our food came out for all six of us in about 15 minutes. My wet burrito was HUGE! I hadn't seen a wet burrito on a restaurant menu on the east coast ever. My wife really liked her tacos too. The staff was very good and kept checking in on our table. Our bill was pretty reasonable. I would definitely come back to eat here. It is a nice cozy spot.

Drinks
Suzie L.

Delicious food We had dinner here on a Tuesday night to take advantage of the Tuesday date night special - 2 drinks, 2 main meals and a dessert to share for $25. The food was delicious, and we enjoyed every mouthful. We each ordered a salad - curry shrimp and Thai chicken and peanut - and they came with lots of tasty fresh ingredients and house made dressing. The mud pie we ordered for dessert was a real winner too - chocolate brownie topped with toasted walnuts, coffee ice cream, whipped cream and chocolate sauce. There were lots of other great things on the menu too and most of the customers were regulars!

Jerk Chicken Nachos

I dont know what happened to this place. Well, maybe its the new owners. But the food does not taste the same and surely does not look the same. This was my second time going since years. Ive seen the same lady worked like a dog. But lets focus on the fact that the black beans taste like ham. I do not eat pork. Regardless, i feel like thats odd. They never tasted this way before. The presentation is HORRENDOUS. It looks like a child throw food in a box and shook it up. (Also i asked for extra cheese and this is what i got) A couple years ago, I totally loved this spot. Not so much anymore :/

Barbecue chicken quesadilla
Deborah L.

When we lived in Saint Augustine, this was our go to lunch place. Now that we're visiting, it's nice to see that it's only expanded. The food is so good and staff are so friendly. Don't forget to ask for Datt'l pepper sauce. It's a pepper indigenous to this area and it's so good!! One of the things I love about this restaurant is that the food is so fresh. They also have a good vegetarian offering. But they have enough meat as well for my carnivorous husband! If you're looking for upscale, keep looking! But if you're looking for Saint Augustine local food and people, this is it.

Ahi Tuna Tacos
Tim T.

Never (never) had a bad meal at this St Augustine dining establishment. Love Back 40 Urban Cafe. Today I had lunch before a meeting downtown. Had the Ahi Tuna taco with pasta and it was amazing! Locals know all about this spot but visitors to our nations oldest city take note: This place rocks!!! Go here and enjoy!

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9 years ago

This place is awesome! Great atmosphere, very sweet staff and the food was yummy! Highly recommend

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11 years ago

Great Happy hour I'm sure everyone on here has mentioned. Tacos and wet burrito is all I get!

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10 years ago

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7 years ago

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9 years ago

My husband and I stopped in for Happy Hour on a Sunday. We had $2 Coronas and $3 tacos. Such a deal for great food!

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9 years ago

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12 years ago

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11 years ago

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10 years ago

Great place for lunch. We were a party of 5 and had salads and wraps. Everything delicious large portions. Definitely recommend !

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10 years ago

I love coming here I even love the slanted floors and booths. The food is spectacular. You will NOT be disappointed!!!

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8 years ago

Best wet burrito in the city St Augustine must try clean friendly service cheap beers for happy hour fresh delicious. Must try !!!

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9 years ago

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8 years ago

Great service + food! Island bowls were delicious & a good amount of food! Love the salsa the right mix of sweet & spicy. Good for kids.

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11 years ago

We just discovered this place after 9 years and were very pleased. The food was great and the portions were large. Cant wait to go back.

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11 years ago

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14 years ago

Absolutely awesome! Taste the freshness. Great yelp find.

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Buena Onda Cafe - Breakfast Burrito

Buena Onda Cafe

4.9(111 reviews)
0.4 mi
$$

My significant other found this little gem on the way to see the capybara's next door after reading…read moreall the crazy good reviews for Buena Onda Café. Seeing a 4.9 rating honestly made me pretty skeptical becuase usually places that hyped never live up to it. But wow... this one actually did. I'm pretty sure my 5 stars are gonna help push this place to a full 5.0 The design itself is cute but not exactly perfection, and the checkout line process could definetly be smoother during busy times. BUT the food... thats where this place absolutley shines. The Arepas Special with the corn pancakes filled with eggs, avocado and tomatoes was an absolute BEAST. Fresh, flavorful and super satisfying. Then the Avocado Toast with the sweet pumkin pieces just blew the rest of our taste buds out the window. Such a weird combo on paper but somehow worked sooo good. And finishing it all with a Cafe con Leche and a blueberry scone just put the final dot on this breakfast experiance. It honestly didnt feel like "just breakfast" it felt like an experiance you remember later. Big shoutout to Huhny for a human she is! She absolutley knocked it outta the ballpark with recommendations, brought everything fast to the table, and you could really feel the passion and positive energy she delivered Thank you team, we'll 100% be back next time we visit your cool town St. Augustine.

A unique little breakfast spot offering both vegan and non-vegan options, coffee and pastries. Love…read morethat there was parking in the back and how the overall vibes were incredibly warm/ positive. The staff were super helpful since it was our first time, explaining the menu, options and provided recommendations. I ordered a vanilla latte iced w/ almond milk and the mushroom tostadas (which was a special) The vanilla latte was very good, creamy/ smooth vanilla taste. The mushroom tostadas were probably the best tostadas i've ever had. They were so flavorful and fresh I ate my whole plate. Definitely a must try if you're from or in the area.

Photos
Buena Onda Cafe - Seating area inside so cute!

Seating area inside so cute!

Buena Onda Cafe - Breakfast Burrito with two cage free fried eggs.

Breakfast Burrito with two cage free fried eggs.

Buena Onda Cafe - Enter into this cosy cafe. Seating to your right or at the bar

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Enter into this cosy cafe. Seating to your right or at the bar

Gaufre's & Goods - Greek Sampler Platter

Gaufre's & Goods

4.6(381 reviews)
1.1 mi
$$

Tucked away in an alley way in the heart of downtown, Gaufre's offers a unique and unexpected…read morepairing of authentic Greek and Polish cuisine. The cozy interior set the tone, and our servers were cheerful and welcoming. We started with ice cold Polish beer while deciding on our meal. The beer was served in perfectly chilled glass with a thin layer of ice which was a great touch. We shared a Greek salad to start. It was incredibly fresh and flavorful, generously loaded with insane amount of feta (no complaints here). For the main, I got the Kielbasa special which came with 4 pierogies (you can mix and match the fillings), Kielbasa sausage and sauerkraut. The potato&cheese pierogies were my favorite, subtle in flavor, perfectly textured and tasted like true homemade comfort food. The sauerkraut was also hands down some of the best I've ever had. Sadly I have no room to try desserts. This was the best meal of my entire trip, and I'll absolutely be back to try more dishes if I'm in town.

Gaufre's & Goods is a place we couldn't believe he had never been to let alone heard of so when we…read morewere visiting and walked by we had to try it out and glad we did. Gaufre's & Goods is tucked away down a back street so if you're not looking for it you most likely will miss it. We came in for a late lunch but were not looking for something super heavy so this was perfect. I started off with a Hevelius Kaper Beer which I really enjoyed. They also had a lot of other Greek and Polish beers that I had never heard of so you gotta try one. For my entree I originally was going to go with the Gyro but then I saw that they have Goulash which I very much enjoy but rarely can find it. Our food came out pretty quickly and I was give a large bowl of Goulash as well as some fresh bread. Ashley of course went with a Mix of Pierogies and added bacon & onions to it. My Goulash was very flavor and dipping the bread in the broth was great. I will say it was thinner then other Goulash's I have had. This was more of a broth base where I enjoy a bit of a thicker stew type. Still something I would recommend getting especially with the limited option we have in the area and this will hit the spot. Ashley also did get a order of Blackberry Pierogies that I never got to try since she ran off with it after we got back to where we were staying. This is for sure a great family restaurant you have to check out.

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Gaufre's & Goods - Dining room

Dining room

Gaufre's & Goods - Borsch Soup

Borsch Soup

Gaufre's & Goods - Mustard- best part of the meal.

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Mustard- best part of the meal.

Llama Restaurant - Mary Y Tierra aka Surf & Turf

Llama Restaurant

4.6(453 reviews)
1.9 mi
$$$

Simply, Amazing!…read more Llama is among the best dining experiences I've ever had. I would give 6 stars if that were possible! The food was super tasty and beautifully presented. My ceviche Classico was fresh, fragrant, and delicious. Pro tip: get the hot peppers on the side. The service was great. Thanks, Alondra. The star of this evening was the immersive and authentic atmosphere. I felt like I could be hanging out at a cafe in Peru. I would not have been surprised to see a morochuco tie up his horse, and sidle in to enjoy some pisco and anticuchos at the bar!

We arrived at Llama on Anastasia Island during a storm at 4:55 p.m. and stood outside under the tin…read moreoverhang while dirty water dripped on us. The lady at the bar and two waiters could clearly see us through the windows, yet instead of opening four minutes early, they simply watched us stand there in the rain. When they finally opened, we walked into an empty restaurant. We were literally the first customers there and the place was completely empty. We asked to be seated and were told by the hostess that reservations only were accepted. We then asked if we could at least sit at the bar and eat there, but she said the bar was only for people waiting and no food would be served there. What makes this even more frustrating is that when you drive by, there is nothing indicating reservations are required. We discovered the restaurant while passing through the area and were excited to try it. The flavors may be unique, but the attitude felt unnecessarily pretentious for a restaurant that should make more of an effort to accommodate walk ins, especially when the dining room was empty.

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Llama Restaurant - Table view

Table view

Llama Restaurant - Anticuchos - Marinated Chargrilled Beef Heart

Anticuchos - Marinated Chargrilled Beef Heart

Llama Restaurant - Yerba Mate

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Yerba Mate

Gourmet Garden Indian Resturant - Paneer Tika with rice etc

Gourmet Garden Indian Resturant

4.9(13 reviews)
1.2 mi

This gourmet Indian spot is such a great. The owners are incredibly welcoming and kind, and you can…read moretruly feel the care they put into every detail. The food is made to order, and they even bring out a small sample first to make sure the spice level is just right, which felt thoughtful and very personal. The location is fantastic right across from the castle in the heart of Old St. Augustine. Before sitting down to eat, we walked around and checked out the Southern Lights Candle Shop nearby and picked up a few things. It's a very nice shop and highly recommended if you're in the area. We had the butter chicken, spinach chicken, and lamb with rice and naan (bread), and everything was absolutely delicious. The setting is a super cute outdoor garden with a relaxed, cozy vibe. They have fans for warmer days and heat lamps when it's cooler, making it comfortable year-round. The drink selection is solid as well. I had two Indian Rupee beers the IPA and the lager and both tasted amazing. The lager was my favorite, but I'd definitely recommend trying both. My wife really enjoyed the wine and sangria; the red sangria was her favorite, though all three were excellent. Great food, warm hospitality, an awesome atmosphere, and a prime location in Old St. Augustine definitely a place worth checking out.

This gourmet Indian spot is such a gem. The owners are incredibly welcoming and kind, and you can…read morefeel the care they put into every detail. The food is made to order, and they even bring out a small sample first to make sure the spice level is just right, which felt thoughtful and personal. We had the butter chicken, a spinach chicken, and lamb with rice and naan (bread),.. all delicious. The setting is a very cute outdoor garden with a relaxed, cozy vibe. They have fans for warm days and heat lamps when it's cool, so it's comfortable year-round. Drinks are solid too: wine, beer, and sangria are available, and all three sangrias were delicious. The red was my favorite, with the white (moscato blend) coming in a close second. My husband tried an Indian beer and really enjoyed it. Great food, warm hospitality, and a great vibe in the heart of Old St. Augustine. Definitely a place worth checking out.

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Gourmet Garden Indian Resturant
Gourmet Garden Indian Resturant
Gourmet Garden Indian Resturant

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Casa Reina Taqueria & Tequila

Casa Reina Taqueria & Tequila

4.0(633 reviews)
1.1 mi
$$

After over 20 years away from St. Augustine, I finally made my way back and somehow ended up…read moreexactly where I needed to be at Casa Reina Taqueria & Tequila. 10/10 recommend! I wish I had photos :( I had an order of the spicy chorizo tacos and WOW they were absolutely phenomenal. Packed with flavor and just the right amount of kick. The drinks? so damn good. I drowned myself in their margarita. The atmosphere was vibrant but not overwhelming. Lots of people watching with great energy, a beautiful space, and just an overall vibe. The entire staff was friendly, attentive, and genuinely welcoming, which always makes a huge difference. I probably waited about 15 minutes to be seated too. Casa Reina lives up to its name. I'll absolutely be back every time I'm in town.

No bueno. [[For…read morecontext: our bill was $95; and this is coming from two Hispanics that grew up eating truly authentic Mexican food between Miami and Orlando]] We really wanted to like this spot! The name, location and vibes of this place were eye catching. It was our first spot in a new town that we checked out on a whim with little research. But it made our first night very sour... like their water! Our first red flag was the flavor of their water, even after squeezing 2 lemon wedges in it there was a very odd flavor to it, like it was sitting in a metal pitcher overnight... or it came straight from the ocean. We saw Casa Reina featured in a resturant magazine when we checked in to our inn, and truly were drawn in by the name and authenticity that it seemed to have. It was between this place and Harry's getting raving reviews, but I wish we chose the latter. (A YouTuber actually recommended Harry's next door, but we gave in to tacos + margaritas because what else sounds like the perfect combination with a view of the intercoastal??) Unfortunately, the food was very lack luster and the drinks were even worse. Not a lot of flavor, or seasoning used in their food. Chipotle has more flavor to their food than this place! My hubby asked for an old fashioned and theirs had tequila in it - he asked for a normal one but they didn't seem to have knowledge of any of the whiskeys.. The service was alright, the ambience was the only nice thing about this spot. Definitely just a trendy spot to take photos at with a gorgeous view of the water. I usually dont write such harsh reviews, but this place broke our hearts a little with how disappointing the food was. I would not recommend this spot, Taco Libre seems like a far better rec than this spot.

Photos
Casa Reina Taqueria & Tequila - Inside bottom floor bar

Inside bottom floor bar

Casa Reina Taqueria & Tequila - Carnitas Platter with yellow rice and refried beans

Carnitas Platter with yellow rice and refried beans

Casa Reina Taqueria & Tequila - Bridge of Lions

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Bridge of Lions

Back 40 Urban Cafe - caribbean - Updated May 2026

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