I really had high hopes and I was truly hoping to give this place better than a 3. We arrived around 8:20 pm and were seated right away with no wait, which was a great start. We ordered drinks and chips and salsa, but everything took quite a while to come out. By the time our actual food arrived, it was already 9:15. I did really enjoy the chips and salsa, but this is the first restaurant I've been to that does not offer free refills on them. If the wait is going to be that long, it would be nice to have something to snack on in the meantime. The atmosphere had some nice touches, especially the lemon tree, which I loved. Unfortunately, there was an on and off septic smell coming from next door that took away from the experience. For food, I ordered the chicken, steak, and pulled pork soft tacos so I could try a variety, and they were all good. My husband ordered the gator and shrimp tacos. He enjoys spice, but said the shrimp was way too spicy and ended up giving him heartburn all night, especially since the menu did not mention any heat. Our drinks were good, and I really liked the design of the menu. It was also nice having napkins already at the table, and the bathrooms were very clean. One downside was the water. I appreciated the large glass, but it tasted heavily chlorinated and was not very drinkable. Our server did apologize for the delays, which we appreciated, and overall the food felt like a good value, especially if you are going during lunch specials. With a few improvements, this place could easily be a much better experience. read more

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I continue to look for good Mexican restaurants in Gainesville and this is not one. It's been years since I've been here so thought I'd give it a go. It took like 20 minutes to get water, my $9.50 guacamole was just sliced avocado with salt and tajin that you mashed with a potato masher. read more

Stopped here for dinner while staying in the hotel next door....it was a Monday night...also known there as BOGO margaritas night. Drinks were a good deal and good! Wife had the steak bowl and I went with the ground beef burrito. Good was decent...not amazing but better than Chipotle! All in all a good stop. read more

Boca Fiesta - Hot sauces! An extra 50 cents each but they were all good. - Mexican Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

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Popped in over here to meet with friends. Loved the theming of the restaurant. I found it fun and the energy was definitely high inside. The restaurant wasn't super busy so we were seated immediately. Our server was nice. I really wanted chips and guacamole but they were out of guacamole so I opted for queso instead. I honestly felt it was just okay. The queso wasn't very thick but the flavor was there. We also ordered gator bites, I opted not to have it but everyone said it was okay. I ordered the shrimp quesadilla and I have to say I was pleasantly surprised. It was packed with flavor and I loved the avocado sour cream. It made a great balance in the dish for me. I usually don't finish quesadillas in one sitting and take some home but this one was too good and I finished it all. Would absolutely pop back in to try more. read more

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This is a fun spot for Mexican food. The decor is colorful and original. The service was friendly. The food was very good. The pricing is a little different in that you pay for everything individually, including the chips and some of the entree toppings. The guacamole is a make-your-own and I think would be better made for you. read more

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One of the top must try places in GNV during Fest and it did not disappoint. I think the whole rest of my group got the breakfast burritos so those must be good but I wanted to try something with a bit more flair. Everything was excellent. Disappointed that I didn't get to try the guac, it was at the other end of the table and never made it down to me, but the queso was very good. Will definitely come back. read more

Boca Fiesta - Al Pastor, Gator, and steak tacos - Mexican Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

I absolutely love their chicken nachos! As you are delving into the cacophony of ingredients, cheese and chicken, it seems you run into chips that are perfectly covered 100% with cheese and other yummy stuff! My goodness, how my tongue and teeth dance to the flavors and textures!! So much foood!! You can use some of the nacho topping the next day, for breakfast, to make heuvos rancheros! I ordered online for pickup, and they wrote me the sweetest bon appetite note!! I love it!! read more

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The food is usually pretty good, and most of the servers are very friendly. I have eaten in the actual restaurant and next door at The Backyard, and both experiences are similar. The ambiance is nice, especially in the outdoor area. I wouldn't come here just to eat again but the food is pretty good if you're here for trivia or another event. Definitely recommend the cheesy rice as a great snack! read more

Boca Fiesta - Cheesy TVP empanada and cheesy rice - Mexican Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

A relief. My fiancé and I moved to Gainesville from DC for her PhD program. We are in our late-20s, still enjoy clubbing, and feared all of the nightlife here was geared only for young students. A colleague suggested we meet here to go dancing on Friday night, which apparently skews more toward the locals/professionals and older students. There was a large crowd that varied in ages. It did seem mostly students attending...but Boca Fiesta felt closer to bigger city nightlife when compared with the freshman debauchery we witnessed on our walk over there. The mixed drink specials were ok for the price, 4.5 stars for not offering bottle service though. Their outside DJ was phenomenal and kept our group dancing all night. Have not tried the food here (yet), but hope to be back soon. read more

I really love this place! Food is amazing & service is great! The only thing i will say is that their drinks are STRONG which some people dont mind but i couldn't even drink the margarita i ordered because it was straight liquor read more

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First time eating here and I don't know why I don't go more often! The outside atmosphere is really chill and perfect for a date night or dinner/drinks with your friends. The chorizo chimichanga actually shocked me by how flavorful the toppings made it, and it definitely ranks on my top 3 favorite chimichangas. The breakfast burrito is also good, exactly what you'd expect from a breakfast burrito. Definitely recommend boca fiesta!! read more

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Came here for taco Tuesday where you could get discount chicken and ground beef (among other options) tacos. The tacos are average at best and have a lot of accoutrement but very little actual meat. I'm sure this is a cost saving method since they are on sale Tuesdays but they are sub par. Service is lackluster at best and overall, not impressed. read more

Boca Fiesta is a cool place with definitely a cool vibe. I only had a drink here, but it was an overall positive experience. Overall, I would definitely recommend this place for a drink or two, maybe even three. read more

Went here last night for dinners and margs! BOGO margs on Monday is a great deal. I also got the tuna tacos and I can't wait until I can eat them again they were so good. We got a table outside which was nice because inside looked a bit crowded and it wasn't too hot. Sometimes they even have music at the backyard right next door on the patio! read more

I typically don't leave reviews but this was by far the worst restaurant I've ever eaten at. Although the service was decent, the food and price were awful. The pickled onions on the nachos were such a throw off. The salsa on my chimichanga tasted like it was bought from Walmart. The beans and rice tasted super old and honestly the Beans tasted like they were straight out of a can. These are only a few things that gave me the ick as a Hispanic who grew up eating Mexican food. Tacos being 3.75 EACH had me flabbergasted. Honestly this place makes Tacobell and Chipotle look better. If you want Mexican food, just learn to make it at home because this place is a big no. Si quieres comida mexicana, cocinar en tu casa. read more

Very, very, very mid mexican food. Super americanized and even the "extras" are scams. I was charges $2.00 for both me and my fiancé getting the cheese in the picture below..... Is the cheese in the room with us? DO NOT ORDER CHEESE, it's literally a scam, and the waiter told me I was expecting too much when I asked for more. read more

Boca Fiesta - Birria Tacos - Mexican Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

Was in Gainesville for my daughter's tour of UF. Excellent Al pastor burrito bowl and beef burrito. Service was attentive for a Friday evening. Fun dinosaur themed decorations around the restaurant too. We'll be back! read more

I had higher hopes for this places. The drinks were ok. Not that strong. I had a Mexican mule. It was tasty. We tried some tacos. The gator was good but the taco itself was bland. The steak taco had good flavors but not amazing. We ordered guac and it's a make your own style. Like you actually do all the work. Interactive dining. Thanks. At least it was fresh. I was not a fan of the elote. It tasted like Parma cheese was rubbed on it and the corn was barely there. read more

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Tucked away in the heart of downtown, Boca Fiesta is a locally-owned Mexican-inspired restaurant. I went with some friends on a Friday night and found the menu to be really eclectic. I ordered gator burrito which was hefty in size and had perfectly deep-fried bites of gator tail with pico de gallo, beans, cilantro, and rice. Where else are you going to see a burrito with fried gator? While we didn't get drinks, their online menu shows that they have an extensive tequila selection. So if you're a margarita connoisseur, you should definitely check them out. There's also daily specials on drinks and food. Overall I had a good experience and plan to return to Boca Fiesta soon. read more

Linley and Antony at the bar were the best. I order 3 drinks the Mexican Mule (the bitters ruined this drink for me), the mojito, and the rosemary lemonade (they recommended with gin instead of whiskey) it was my absolute favorite drink. I ordered elotes, a beef empanada and after bites. The elotes weren't true to elotes but they had great flavor. The empanada was huge but delicious and the gayer bites were my absolute favorite! I also had 2 tacos 1 steak taco street style and one shrimp taco boca fiesta style. Both tacos were good but I've had better tacos so I'm not too crazy about them. Overall I had a great experience the entire time and will definitely be back. read more

Boca Fiesta - Gator bites - Mexican Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

One of my favoriteeee spots in downtown Gainesville! Always a spot to be, lounging on the patio of Boca Fiesta with a margarita will transport you back to your latest beach vacay and you'll fall in love. I love that I never feel crowded when visiting, despite the continuous groups of guests passing through the restaurant. I've always enjoyed great service along with exceptional drinks and food! I love that there are vegan options that don't lack flavor (I mean, in GNV, you better have vegan choices!), but would love more special entrees. Elotes, Margaritas, Tacos and so much more, truly make Boca Fiesta one of the best stops for Tex Mex in town! read more

Boca Fiesta which means party in your mouth. But let me tell you there was a dead party in my mouth. I went here to grab dinner with friends and once we were seated and given the menu, within 30 seconds we were asked what we wanted and said that we needed more time. Around what seemed like 10-15 minutes later, our waiter finally came and took our order. The service made me feel like I was a chore that needed to be finished. I got a strawberry margarita which was refreshing, but when asked if I wanted salt, our waiter asked as she was walking away and I had to yell what I wanted. I tried the eloté and I love street corn but cotija cheese was way too much it overpowered the sweetness of the corn. I'd rather have it at Gator BTW. My main course were the nachos with added grounded beef for $2 more and it felt like they just piled it on. Most of the nachos were already super soggy from the cheese and had no crunch to it and the meat had no flavor. The positive note was that it was a good atmosphere to spend with family or friends. Despite how crowded it gets, it's definitely manageable to maintain a conversation without having to yell. They have specials each day whether it's food or drinks. It has low lighting and sometimes they'll even play the Office! It's not my go to place, but maybe I'll give it another try again. read more

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What happened to Boca Fiesta? I fondly remembered this place and recently went back with my family, and least to say it was below average in food service and ambiance. Starting with the service, time to get a table was surprisingly good but as soon as we got there we were waiting for 20-30 minutes to even get waters, we ordered and food came out VERY slowly and trying to get our check was a nightmare. We had to ask another waitress near us for help because we hadn't seen our waitress for the last hour. For food, I got the chorizo burrito and was served a burrito on a appetizer plate with a tiny bit of shredded cheddar on the side, when I bit into it I was greeted with a mouth full of crunchy undercooked rice and couldn't make it past a few bites. The atmosphere was the only highlight to the evening, not badly priced but let's just say it's dim for more than just atmosphere. Overall a bad experience, I will not be going back and I strongly suggest you avoid. read more

Oh man. It's been ages since I've been to Boca Fiesta. This joint used to be one of the must stop places for my friends and I to eat when we were at the bars. Super funky vibes with good tex mex foods. I'm glad it's still the same vibe and good food. Because of covid we were sitting outside. No big deal since it was cool. We ordered the chicken burrito, gator taco, beef taco, tilapia taco, and elote. Oh my god. It was all so good!!! The elote was a bit spicy and left a slow burn. It was all so good and so much food! Gator was always my fav when I eat there and now it's my husband's. read more

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This place was good, but nothing special. The set up is great for groups and it seems like they use the space to have lots of fun events and specials. We went on a Monday and they had karaoke and BOGO margaritas. Outdoor seating was great. The food was nothing special especially for Gainesville which has so many great authentic Mexican spots. One of my friends had a hard unknown piece of something in her quesadilla that she bit into. They were nice and comped her meal, but it was kind of gross to see. It was a good spot for events and groups and some drinks, but really nothing special with the food. read more

Boca Fiesta - Steak burrito - Mexican Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

I would give this place 3 stars but honestly the service just ruins the place. Has the service stopped me from going? No, because for some reason I hope that the service would change. Just like some of my relationships... I've had experiences where I waited 45 minutes for a table because they did not want to clean tables or seat us (3 ppl) at already clean tables. I also experienced where I ordered blacken fish tacos and they where so blackened that they were inedible. It took a while for the new tacos to come out. I do love their TVP tacos but be careful with the sauces on the menu. The servers try to sell it to you but don't tell you they cost money. My friend ordered a few and ended up paying $4 for sauces. read more

Boca Fiesta - Table not cleared - Mexican Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

Love the staff every one is so friendly every time. Went to uf about 5 years ago. Stop in this week and it's just as good if not better than ever. Love you guys! read more

A great place for casual hangouts! The food is very good but servers can get too busy during dinner hours. Be aware of the mosquitos if you have to sit outside. read more

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I was in town visiting friends who raved about Boca Fiesta, so when we got here the first thing I did was check out Yelp for the insider look at the best stuff. I was pretty surprised to see some hot so pleasant reviews because we had amazing service and the food was amazing. Per reviews we went with the elote. Mind blowing, the seasoning was to perfection! The salsa and queso were scrumptious and my partner and I got an array of tacos. Definitely don't skip the alligator, and for their veggie only options I was pretty pleased with the variety and didn't feel like I was missing out on any flavor. Due to COVID I think the menu was limited at the times, which was a bummer. Definitely was looking forward to getting the guac, but sadly is wasn't available. Our friends told us they give you the masher to do at the table so you know it's super fresh! If I'm ever back in the Gainesville area I would definitely go back, hopefully when the ol 'Rona is gone. read more

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Great food, great atmosphere, our server though has a questionable attitude. Would recommend this place but bring in your own water and straw. read more

Boca Fiesta - 2 Tacos of pastor 1 taco chicken Very delicious!! - Mexican Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

This place is very good. I'm not sure why it has such a low rating on yelp. Maybe some sorts of service issues in the past... our service experience was flawless. Our server, Ashley T, was great. Everything same out correct, really fast, and she easily replaced my margarita when I spilled it on the table right away. Overall the food was delicious. The queso was essentially standard issue, but delicious. The salsa was above average, it had corn in it and overall was nicely balanced. The chips were really nicely salted and had a good sweetness. The elote, OMG!! Get it. I tried the gator burrito and man was I impressed. The gator meat was nice although a little chewy and the rice was delicious as well as the aioli. The burrito was definitely more authentic in design rather than the standard texmex. I would definitely recommend anyone who's into some good Mexican to hit this spot up! read more

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This place is like the 7th ring of hell. Please don't go here unless you are absolutely starving, have 4 extra hours, and a calculator. Deeply unwelcoming and you consistently wonder why you are here. You walk in to find hostesses who claim they can not seat you unless you are able to jump through certain hoops and the mustache man at the bar shakes you down for cash tips while you wait. Then you might luckily get served-- but again, under certain conditions (I.e. order one drink at a time, etc.). Also, you probably won't get the food the first time, so be sure to order again. When the check comes, be ready to adventure into advanced accounting. Make sure you are able to thoroughly split your check by placing stickers on your credit card with your desired payment; alas, make sure it all adds up when they put tip on top of tax. This weird policy is thoroughly explained in the attached pictures. Do not eat at this authoritarian regime. The food is fine. read more

Boca Fiesta - Mexican Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

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My friends and I came for a trivia girls night. We got the $5 tacos and appetizer nachos by the restaurant before going around back for the trivia night. I recommend the hot sauce with the tacos. They aren't the best, but are such a great deal it's impossible to turn down. It was nice to see a great environment of people relaxing and enjoying food. read more

Boca Fiesta - Mexican Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

As soon as we arrived to Boca we were greeted with a smile. We told them, there are 30 of us for dinner, can you accommodate such a large party. Hostess said, give me two minutes to confirm. Within 10 minutes, they moved tables around. Told us we can sit 20 right now and as soon as another table opens up, we can get 10 more seated. Would that work?! Service amazing, hostess very helpful and the food was fantastic. Not to mention the drinks were great! Highly recommend this place!! read more

The food here is actually really good! This is a common spot for college students to get drink deals, so it can get VERY busy on mondays. They have karaoke out back most nights which is great fun. They also have access to a room with a ton of pool tables. Overall a great place to hangout with friends and get some food. I loved my time here read more

Boca Fiesta - Chimichanga - Mexican Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

(English) I love coming to these places to hang out with the girl's order some guac, salsa, queso, and chips and enjoy over some margaritas. The service is not as nice as the place, but this keeps being an iconic place for Gainesville. I haven't tried other items for the menu, I'll probably we always stick with the classics if I want more authentic Mexican food I probably would go somewhere else but for their atmosphere and good Margaritas makes me always come back. (Español) Me encanta venir a este lugar para pasar el rato con las chicas, pedir un poco de guacamole, salsa, queso y chips y disfrutar de unas margaritas. El servicio no es tan agradable como el lugar, pero sigue siendo un lugar icónico para Gainesville. No he probado otros artículos del menú, probablemente siempre pedimos los clásicos, si quiero comida mexicana más auténtica, probablemente iría a otro lado, pero por su ambiente y buena Margaritas siempre vuelvo. read more

Boca Fiesta - Chips with Guac, Salsa & Queso - Mexican Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

Great food and service! Their fried mac and cheese appetizer is so good. I've never had anything like it- the mac and cheese is encased inside a fried ball of thin dough. Their tacos are also good- I ordered the shrimp ones. On Mondays, they have bogo margs as well as karaoke outside. Definitely a good place to go if you're ever downtown! read more

Great location with indoor and outdoor seating. Opted for outside table near area with bar and music. Server was prompt, but allowed plenty of time to decide on our orders. Wasn't in the mood for a full entree, so opted for chicken soft taco, black beans and rice side and chips with salsa and queso. For some reason, chips and salsa were not included after 9 pm. Waitress shared that if you ordered queso and chips the salsa come with it. Food was prompt and had good flavor. The waitress checked in often and provided a sample of the various salsas offered. The habanero lived up to its warning and the traditional salsa that came with the chips was my favorite. My companion had Elote, basket of fried corn, which was a large portion and the gator taco to my dismay... can't go around eating our mascot with no remorse. SMH. Drink offerings were good to, but already had my share from previous engagement. Debated on going to the bar area, which had a $3 cover, but opted to meet friends closer to campus. Really believe that bar cover should be waived if dining on-site. Nominal fee, but just the principal behind it. Overall good spot that adds to the diverse offerings of downtown Gainesville eateries. read more

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Probably one of my favorite places to go out in Gainesville. The margaritas are good and strong, however I noticed the prices for the flavored margaritas keeps increasing. The food is reasonably priced and decent for what it is. Honestly not the best Mexican food, but I deal with it given the good location and atmosphere. It tends to be pretty cold inside, though. I usually go just for drinks and it's kind of annoying that chips and salsa aren't included like they are at most other Mexican restaurants. The service is also pretty rude when they find out we are just ordering drinks, even though we order a few rounds. What they lack in service and food they make up for with drinks, location, and atmosphere. read more

Boca Fiesta - Chicken tacos, guacamole, and grapefruit mimosas - Mexican Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

ZERO STARS!! HORRIBLE!! Don't waste your time here, they should go out of business. Came here to celebrate my 21st birthday with some friends, and they ruined it. The person working the door took my friends ID and refused to give it back. She is actually the rudest person you will ever meet. Absolutely ruined my birthday dinner and did not care. It's Gainesville, a college town, everyone goes everywhere without a problem. She acts like she's some famous bouncer in Miami. After dinner I went up to her again to say it's my birthday and I feel bad because I told my friends to come and she cut me off mid sentence and said "that's your problem. You're not getting your friends ID back" and walked away. Automatic 20% gratuity because we had a table for 15. The waitress took that to her advantage!! Service was horrible. She forgot everything and we had to ask 10 times to get anything. They made the check so complicated and refused to split it more than 7 ways. Ambiance sucked, we were seated outside where it was hot as hell and wet from rain. Food was small and sucked. read more