Cry baby's is one of the newest bars in downtown Gainesville. It's in the location where Sweet Mels used to be (back in the day). It's slowly becoming one of the popular bars downtown because they have good drinks AND food unlike other downtown bars that only specialize in drinks. Although I think the price point is a bit high for downtown Gainesville, I do appreciate their happy hour menu. Their happy hour is from 5-7 and they have additional daily specials. The happy hour burger is $7, which I think is a decent deal considering the amount of food and quality of the burger. The burger is pretty big and the sauce is addicting! It also comes with fries which I think is a plus. I think their drinks are a bit pricy, but they are definitely fancier compared to your typical well drink from other downtown bars. I appreciate the openness of the bar and the amount of seating. Compared to Madrina's next door, this place is much better for large crowds. They have 1 huge table that fits about 12 people and a bunch of smaller tables and booths. All in all, I can see Cry Baby's becoming the newest downtown spot. It's definitely worth a try if you haven't been before. read more

Cry Baby's - Jimmy Burger - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

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we came here for apps and drinks and honestly it was the worst experience ever. we came here last week on the busiest nights and it was great service and great food and overall great experience. tonight however was absolutely just terrible. the person who made our drink served us with a broken glass and my friend drank it without knowing and chewed on it. literally broken glass. the server once we talked about said that he wishes that he can do something but it wasn't his problem basically but as a server, you are servicing to customers to the best of your ability and giving us dirty plates then wiping it, and also giving us a broken glass seemed to be his problem. broken glass and it was still on the bill. it seemed small on the picture but it was a good medium size chunk broken off. read more

Cry Baby's - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

Found this place by divine intervention! What great food! The fried fish bites were amazing.

I recently went to CryBaby's late on a Friday night during the pandemic. I was very skeptical in-going bc I was worried about the amount of people, but surprisingly during the pandemic they were pretty great at keeping the amount of ppl decent. I felt safe. I love the drinks here. They make them pretty well, and are decently priced as well. The other best part of CryBaby's is that you can order food to eat if you've been drinking a while and their kitchen runs late. On one occasion, my friend and I came here after eating at Alpine (I will post a review about this experience because it was a ride!).... But we didn't really get to eat at Alpine. It was late on this particular day that even the top had already closed...so we went to CryBaby's. I was pleasantly surprised at their vegetarian menu! I had their Banh Mi with the veggie dog, which was actually pretty good. The fries were cooked well! On another occasion, I had the impossible burger. It was good, but overpriced in my opinion. I just learned to not buy beyond or impossible sandwiches when I eat out anywhere because the price for caring about our planet is quite high lol. So, I just buy those patties myself and cook them at home LOL. Pro-tip buy from Sam's or when Publix has BOGO. Ok, back to CryBaby's the La Paloma here is WAY better than the one at the Top (I know blasphemy for all the Top lovers lol - which I am one). Anyways, come here it's great! read more

Amazing smash burger with delicious fries! The price was right and the service was fast!

Spent 20 on some chicken nachos for takeout. Picked up about a dozen chips with a slice of cheese and a small spit of seasoning. Don't waste your money here if you are hungry! read more

I had been hearing about Cry Baby's since I moved to Gainesville and finally got a chance to check it out. I ordered the al pastor tacos and split the yuca fries with a friend. I usually don't order tacos out at restaurants because they tend to be small and flavorless. The al pastor tacos at Cry Baby's were surprisingly large and you receive three of them. The salty cotija cheese, sweetness of the pickled pineapples, and the crunchiness of the pork belly made for an amazing flavor combination. Some of the best tacos I've had anywhere. The yuca fries are a big hit and the curry aioli is such a unique flavor sensation. I will definitely be going back to Cry Baby's again soon. read more

Not a bad spot for cocktails in a town that needs more places for young professionals and the non college crowd to be able to go unwind after work. Came here on a Friday night with a couple friends and the place was poppin. It took forever to get the bartenders attention and there wasn't exactly a systematic process to form a line or order drinks, which is probably just because the bartenders and everyone is getting used to a new setup. But overall the cocktails were pretty tasty, and I'm sure they'll improve as the bartenders make them over and over again and get more comfortable with proportions. I got the Jet Pilot - a rum punch type drink that the Hostess recommended, and it was hella strong. Can't complain when you have to pay more than $10 for a cocktail in small town Gainesville. I'll definitely be back to try more, and you should check this place out! Great vibe and a good amount of seating both at the bar and in small booths. Way less crowded than Martina's nearby, which is a welcome feeling. Pros: Ambiance Drinks Crowd Cons: Service read more

Cry Baby's - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

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Nice start to your nite drink.. if you have a date an you want to get in the #buzzgroove without having the liquor breath... mint up with this when your here.. #d0peshytapproved read more

Cry Baby's - It's in the caption, perfect drink if you want to pregame without the alllchy taste in your mouth.... - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

Disclaimer: They've only been open like a week, so hopefully things will get better. I must say I'm pretty unimpressed with this new establishment. I was really excited when I heard that someone had finally taken over this prime location right on University and Main. There is so much potential, but Cry Baby's failed to live up to it. Upon entering, I saw that there was a long bar and many booths. I waited for perhaps a greeter or something, but alas, there wasn't one. I then stood at the bar, but still I received no acknowledgment. I was confused about the etiquette of the place. Do you seat yourself at the booth? Do you tell the bartender and then take a seat? Is this a restaurant and bar? Just a bar with bar food? A sign in front would be very helpful. I noticed that other first timers were also confused as they walked in. Secondly, there were two dirty tables, yet the establishment wasn't busy, and one of which we wanted to sit in. When we finally got the table bussed, the booth was uncomfortably wet, so I had to wipe it down with napkins. Third, this place has air conditioning problems. This is the Swamp. In May no less! So many customers were sweating and fanning inside. I finally realized that you have to go to the bar, order, and take a number to your seat, yet the bartenders were luke warm and didn't seem to have much urgency about waiting customers. For food, I ordered the hot chicken sandwich and I liked the chicken. It was filling and I loved the toasted bun and pickles. My fries were undercooked, though, and so were my companion's. We did have a very tasty cocktail (the one with egg whites). With Madrina's two doors down, offering craft cocktails, this place better tighten up if it wants to compete. read more

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I went to crybaby's recently and I remember when they first opened, it was a gray place to go for amazing food and great cocktails. On my most recent visit, I must say the cocktails are still pretty great and made with love and care. I can't say the same for the food. They used to have amazing options like a ceviche and now the food they have doesn't have the same great quality. It just okay. If you want a great cocktail then it's definitely the place but food could use some love. read more

I have always wanted to like this place. It's one of those places where the service is by and large terrible but the product is very good. They do a very good job with food and drink but the rest is awful. I went with some friends recently and the first thing we noticed was how loud it was! My friend even asked if they might be able to turn down the volume and the waitress had to ask her to repeat herself because she couldn't hear her. Before anybody comes at me and assumes I'm being ableist, know that I am extremely hard of hearing so places like this are basically miserable. The music is loud from the get so everybody screams. Waitress didn't come to our table for a good ten minutes, never brought silverware or napkins or water... The maitre d' kind of walks about in a lackadaisical way, main character syndrome in some kind of hipster movie with no plot. Drinks took forever but were quite good - nice beer selection, cocktails are good, and the food was nice. Fries were somewhat greasy and could have been hotter. It was a little inconvenient eating the fries and korean chicken sandwich (it's pretty saucy) without a napkin or any water to wash anything down. My friend found her sandwich somewhat dry and said maitre d' (who happened to be strolling be at just the right moment) said they didn't have her requested bbq sauce but was happy to bring some gochujang, which in his words was basically the same thing. I don't think they ever turned the music down (every time I've been it's been loud as hell). read more

The tater tots are delicious and so are the drinks! It is definitely on the pricier side but it can be worth it. The service is really friendly, but the wait can be very long. The ambience is really nice and cozy, I love bringing friends. It's definitely a great spot for an appetizer and drink! read more

Loved the vibe of this bar!! And the drinks and food!! Definitely worth checking out if you are looking for a chill and fun place to go to with friends. Their happy hour food deals are so worth. I loved the happy baby burger; not only did it taste great, but it was also super filling. My favorite snack to order are definitely the nachos. The cocktails are also great. I ordered the Pretty Ricky, which was light and refreshing. My friend ordered the Easy Rider, which tasted pretty much like the non-alcoholic version of the Pretty Ricky but sweeter and more citrusy. read more

Cry Baby's - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

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Honestly the only thing holding this business down is the amount of customers it gets. This place is so busy and is always full of rowdy people and some how they manage to make the food delicious every single time!! Yeah there are a whole lot of people but this place makes u feel special in any table you sit at and if you really don't feel happy where you are they have always treated me with kindness and found a more nicer place for me to sit at! The environment is nice especially on weekdays but it gets more hectic on weekdays and insanely satisfying watching these workers work around people that have 0 spacial awareness!! Good job bartenders and servers for your patience as well I've seen you deal with things that is way out of your pay grade way too much!! The business hired some swell people and lastly these cooks are amazing they work as fast as possible but somehow even on the busiest of nights my meal is done 15-30 mins tops after order take out! For a super busy place that's very well known and popular down town I respect the timing A LOT! Here's some food I recommend -Korean bbq sandwich -fish & chips -big baby smash burger -steak sandwich (In that order) And a couple drinks I've had -I forgot the name but it's a specialty Christmas drink and has eggnog Super amazing read more

The curry fries were absolutely delicious! Nachos during Happy Hours were so worth it. The place was very crowded and definitely on the louder side so our server was busy. Overall it was a good experience for a casual hangout dinner. read more

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Food and drinks were great, nachos are SO good. Service was also fantastic. The place is really cute, but a little dark in the back at night. read more

$12 plus tip for a moscow mule that tastes like pure ginger beer. No alcohol. I paid for alcohol why is this pure ginger beer?

While I've heard the hype from some people, this bar just hasn't lived up to it and I don't think I'll be going back. I've been here about a dozen times, hoping the next time would show me something to love. The positives first-- the Tom Club was a pretty decent drink, but sadly the only one I've really thought balanced out and was worth the price. And the yuka fries were also rather tasty and opened a world of trying yuka dishes elsewhere. The atmosphere is super hip and we loved the outdoor ledge. There's built in spacing so no one is up in your business when sitting outside. The downsides are pretty simple-- of the dozen times I've been there, I've not been impressed most of them. Not by the food, drinks, or service. To top all that off, the last two times I've been there during happy hour where I specifically mentioned to the bartender I was ordering off the happy hour and got full price. Don't mind paying full price, but I would have gotten something that sounded better if I was going to be paying more. Add that up among several drinks and food items and it's a hefty chunk of money. I'm not going to fight them over it when they've already swiped my card before even giving me an itemized receipt. But I do hope the owners/managers get this handled as it's silently pushing guests away. read more

Cry Baby's - Hot chicken sandwich. Has a decent kick to it. - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

Good outdoor patio. Blue Bayou, my Mini Aussi was given a big bowl of cold water. Then the Caesar Salad was placed before me. The cook intentionally dropped the whole canister of parmesan cheese on top of the platter of romaine lettuce. I should have sent it back. Unfortunately, I didn't. read more

Cry Baby's happy hour is superior. I have only been twice and a few years apart, but I will say it's been a great experience each time. I definitely recommend going to the happy hour specials like the Cheeseburger which is a smash burger style with caramelized onion, pickle and burger sauce served with fries for $7! You can't get McDonalds crappy burger meal for that! Their cocktail menus change seasonally. They definitely have a little something for everyone. I do miss when this use to be Sweet Mel's and $6 Long Island Ice Teas when I first moved here 10 years ago but my tastes have definitely grown up too! Also try Baby J's next door! read more

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I got food poisoning from the Caesar salad here. Everyone shared all of my food except the salad that I ate by myself, so being the only one who vomited all night long did identify the salad as the culprit. read more

Small but mighty! We had the burger and the chips/quezon. Both were delish. Would recommend!

Cry Baby's is able to operate efficiently and safely during COVID-19. They have been able to maintain their welcoming atmosphere and superb cocktail selection despite these challenging times. They take all the necessary precautions for patrons and do so by setting their own example. Evenings are filled with people from all age groups and everyone always seems to be having a wonderful time. Really loved my time here! If you want to stop by for a few drinks or have a meal in a relaxing and hip atmosphere, then Cry Baby's is your spot. read more

Cry Baby's - One of their many excellent signature cocktails. - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

I was visiting Gainesville and was looking for a nice late night spot. Cry Baby's was a great find. Shawna, our server, was very friendly and helpful. The drinks and food came quickly and were delicious. The corn rib elote was excellent. I didn't know corn could taste so good. I will definitely be back the next time I visit. read more

Cry Baby's - Nachos, wings, and corn rib elote - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

Literally love this place! The food is always incredible, especially love the bite and taste of their burgers. Their cocktails are always inspired and help start a night out on a good note. The dining area and bar is intimate and I love the atmosphere of the place. Would highly recommend this place if you want a taste of Gainesville nightlife with a good meal. read more

Cry Baby's, more like happy Baby's! I had such a wonderful experience! My boyfriend and I wanted to walk around downtown and have a drink! And Cry Baby's made it such a cute and fun date night! They have happy hour from 5-7! My boyfriend got La Paloma and I got a tiki drink, a Mai Tai! And wow both were refreshing, delicious and definitely strong! The atmosphere is very chill. I loved their decorations. They had palm tree wallpaper and a beautiful neon Cry Baby's sign! It was aesthetically pleasing. Upon entrance, we were immediately asked if we wanted menus and got served right away! Granted we only got drinks, but we would definitely come here again! The attention to service and the amount of space I had and delicious strong drinks definitely makes me want to come back again! read more

Cry Baby's - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

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I was so excited to see Cry Baby's open from the afternoon restaurant advertising it a year or two ago. The name is unique. The drinks are good. The food/snacks are yummy. I've worked here, but got a different job in another industry. They're great to work with and chill, but clean and professional too! Great bar and atmosphere. The menu has grown a LOT since they have opened. The bartenders are great and make wonderful drinks. Be sure to tip them extra!!! This has turned out to be one of my favorite spots to get a drink in Gainesville now. read more

Cry Baby's - The tall one is a hurricane and the small one is a mocktail tears for fears. Both super good. - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

The cutest bar in Gainesville!!! Loved the food and drinks! Not to mention the place is SO cute!

Great drinks, but just so you know parties larger than 6 have a MANDATORY 25% gratuity! And they will not split your bill. 25% to serve drinks is crazy, especially when we were not even given waters. Like I said, drinks are tasty and made well, but make sure you only go on date not, not with friends. read more

Cool new spot in downtown! I tried the cry baby mule, and the bartender did an amazing job at making it! My friends enjoyed their drinks as well, so I doubt you can go wrong with choosing a drink off their menu. One of my friends even asked for one of their mocktails to be made with rum and they were able to make it! Since it was happy hour, we also decided to try the fries and nachos with tempeh. The fries were average/good, and the nachos were on the different side. It was a rather small portion with the tempeh all at the bottom, so I'm not sure if I'll be getting these again. But overall, the drinks and selection are amazing and the bartenders seem to know their stuff! read more

Cry Baby's - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

After a young night of clubbing and partying, a break was needed. Stopped here around midnight. Unreal fish tacos. Just amazing. Summertime Somewhere Drink was tasty as well. Ordering was unsure if it would get to me (used the QR code menu to order online and sat outside) but it did and it was great. Would come again. read more

Cry Baby's - Fish Tacos - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

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This past week I decided to finally try Cry Baby's out for Happy Hour. I have heard from numerous people about how great it is, but that it is too loud inside. I did not have this issue at all. I went in right out 5:30 for happy hour with a friend. I arrived and took a seat at the bar. The bartender gave me 2 menus one regular menu and 1 happy hour menu. I decided to just order drinks off of the Happy Hour menu! I went with the La Paloma. I think the bartender who was working was training, because the guy bartender was watching her the whole time. He also tried everything she made. She got my seal of approval because the drink tasted wonderful and had the right amount of citrus and salt! It was a really good drink. My friend who was with got a burger that looked really good, but I did not taste it. I was able to hear my friend the whole time and we enjoyed a great conversation. I also really liked that they had a water station to get water without having to ask the bartenders to do that. Overall I had a great experience. I look forward to coming back to try food items, but the happy hour gets my seal of approval! read more

Cry Baby's - Happy Hour menu - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

I have been to Cry Baby's several times since moving back to Gainesville in October of 2021. Their food is consistently good! Some of my favorites are the chicken tenders with fries, the hot Asian-inspired wings they had on their menu at one point and you definitely can't go wrong with the yuca fries. My fiance likes their hot chicken sandwich and oysters. They also have decent drinks. The atmosphere is a nice bar setting. read more

The birria tacos were so flavorful and filling highly recommended, although I do wish they had sour cream on the side as they sell other tacos. The spicy hot sandwich was never very flavorful I thought it would be more like buffalo sauce but it was just HOT. Atmosphere is really nice love the decor read more

Cry Baby's - Cry baby's - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

I looked up yelp reviews for this place for my first time in Gainesville. I had my small dog so my son said we could sit outside. I said great, we got there and the front outside area smelled like pee. Then we had to order from our phone and pay and half the items were out of stock. I didn't like the impersonal feel to not having a waitress. I left instead , two sandwiches to choose from only. Maybe next time I'll try indoors read more

I am so glad I got to check out Cry Baby's on their opening day! This is such a nice addition to the Gainesville bar scene! They have a great beer, cocktail and food menu. I personally had the Paloma ($9) which was to DIE for. Several friends tried other cocktails and no one was disappointed. We also had a few bites of the tempeh nachos and WOW, so good. There's a lot of space in Cry Baby's compared to other cocktail bars in town, which is a plus. The bartenders were all so kind and the whole vibe was fun! Make sure to check it out! read more

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Cry Baby's has been one of my favorite places in town since it opened a few years ago. The Big Baby burger is my go-to item to order and it is consistently phenomenal (if you love caramelized onions and secret sauce, this burger is for you!). It used to come with the freshest thin and crispy fries that were cooked to perfection every single time, which I always looked forward to having! Based on these new thicker fries that come nowhere close to matching up to the deliciousness of the previous version, I felt obligated to remove 1 star from this review. But otherwise, I definitely recommend this establishment! read more

Cry Baby's - Big Baby Burger - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

Cry Baby's is located in downtown Gainesville and specializes in various cocktails and select food items. DRINKS (3.5/5): I've had several of the drinks at Cry Baby's and have found that they vary significantly depending on who is making them. Overall, the non-happy hour beverages are significantly better in my opinion. For happy hour, most people recommend: - La Paloma - Eastside Fizz (half sweet) My favorite drinks here are the whiskey based non-happy hour cocktails. FOOD (4/5): Crybaby's has some pretty good options for food given it is primarily a cocktail bar. During happy hour, these food items are discounted which is even better. SEATING (5/5): Indoor and outdoor seating is available and allows for large groups to be accommodated here. SERVICE (3/5): I've been three times thus far and have had mediocre service two of the three times. Hopefully this will get sorted out in the near future and I will update my review. read more

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OH MY YUCA!!!! What a deeeeelight!!! First off, yes, scarce, but there are gluten free options. Second, get yourself a smashin good burger. Lastly, you can't miss out on the drinks. Once you've done all that, you've become an official cry baby. P. S. Don't forget that tangy tasty ceviche. Looking for splendid service? Meadow is your girl. read more