I recently visited La Cocina de Abuela for lunch. The restaurant is set up cafeteria style and you order a small, medium or large portion. You choose your rice, beans, meat, and side. I ordered a large with Ropa Vieja, Yucca, Black Beans, and Coconut Rice. I love Cuban food and the portion was massive, however, I was disappointed. The Ropa Vieja was tender but watery, the yucca was soft but bland and a little chewy, and the beans lacked any seasoning. I liked the rice: savory with a hint of sweetness. The best word to describe the food was edible. read more

La Cocina De Abuela - Ropa Vieja, Yucca, Black Beans, Coconut Rice - Cuban Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

Very tasty food that tastes homemade! The chicken was cooked to perfection as was the rice, and everything was very flavorful. My one complaint is the plantains could be a bit softer, but otherwise this was a delicious meal. The staff was very helpful and quick with service. The ambiance isn't anything fancy but there is plenty of seating inside, though it is also easy to take this food to go. I'll definitely be back to try more items! read more

La Cocina De Abuela - Coconut rice, lentils, chicken fricassee, and plantains - Cuban Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

Love this little place. Please give this family owned restaurant your business. Generous portions, delicious, and authentic. Quiet unassuming interior. A gem in the Gainesville area. read more

La Cocina De Abuela - Bandeja paisa - Cuban Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

See all

There are two doors to this fine restaurant, but both have that home-cooked smell that smacks you in the nose, when you open them! The smell is enough to make you want to eat and take a nap. I followed the easy-to-understand board. First pick which rice you want, which type of bean, and then which type of protein, sides, etc. If you can't get it, just go to the line, and a friendly server will explain it and help. I got the big container to-go, and I am glad I did; it's two good meals!! The curry chicken was cooked to PER FEC TION!!!!!!!!! So tender and juicy, and the curry flavor was on point, and the rice was from a dream! I mean this food is amazing!! You know so much love was put into it!! I am def coming back to get a different combo!! Also, the sweet tea is delicious and won't give you cavities before you hit the door! read more

See all

The food and service is great! Unfortunately I didn't get pictures of everyone's food but everyone said they really enjoyed it! I had the curry chicken with yellow rice and black beans with a side of fried plantains and some yucca fries! my sister had the ox tail and said it was so tender she was licking her fingers to get all the sauce. My other sister had the Mojo pork and said it was delicious but could have benefited from some sauce as it was just a bit dry but still very tasty. All that said don't let the curbside or lack of curbside appeal discourage you from trying this great food! The place definitely could use a facelift and it would go to the next level. read more

La Cocina De Abuela - Curry Chicken with Yellow rice, black beans and Plantains - Cuban Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

Hands down the worst food I've had in many years. Pros: nice hardworking owners, good vibe, desserts are good. Cons: extremely overpriced (rice and beans are literally the cheapest food on the planet), the shredded beef and pork are like chewing on a leather shoe, plantains are over cooked and bone dry, even the beans are dried out. I wish I had a dollar for every over priced/over hyped 'authentic' restaurant from around the world. Take a close look at the photos and you can see all the evidence. Recommendation: Pay a little extra and go to Outback or Long Horn Steakhouse. Or go to Yummy House. Asian style cooking is far superior (they velvet meats with cornstarch and/or a pressure cooker before cooking which is why they melt in your mouth). Raising Cane's is like a 5 star restaurant compared to here. read more

Food was really good, there are three options small medium and Large you pick your side and protein. Lots of food on the medium plate. Pan de Bono was delicious read more

My mother and I were tootling around town doing various things, and it came around to lunch time. I suggested going to Abuela's as she had never been, so that is where we went. It really is a nice place, with seating outside and a kind of homey atmosphere. My mother looked at what was being served for the day and then we decided to go for it. I went with the ropa, coconut rice, and beans while she went with a cheese stick, an arepa, and a side of black beans, which she loves. We both really enjoyed our meals, and left with full stomachs. If you are looking for a meal and want some good home cooking, Abuela's definitely serves the purpose. read more

Very very good food. Good size portions. Too bad we are on vacation and don't live close by. read more

La Cocina De Abuela - Pork stew over yellow rice, shredded pork with coconut rice, flan and empanadas (chicken and pork) - Cuban Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

Lovely little restaurant, off the beaten path and absolutely wonderful! Meat and 2-3 sides, empanadas and flan. Definitely worth a try.

Stop here every time we are in town to see the UF doctors. Kids play area, good food and relaxed space. I get the pork and potatoes with white rice and sweet plantains . No extra sauce next time :-) Hubby gets the mojo pork and white rice with yucca.my babyloved the beef empanadas my 5 year old played.... Then was hungry when we left... every time man! read more

This place is exactly what yelp is all about. Abuela's is a true hidden gem and this place serves the best Columbia food in all of Gainesville. When you come you're greeted by an employee behind the counter and create your own bowl with whatever you'd like. The dining area is full of seating and a play area for the kiddos too. When it comes time to order I personally recommend coming in on Tuesday's or Friday's and trying their delicious oxtail. Today I came in and had their Ropa Vieja (shredded beef) and I get it every time I come in and they don't have the oxtail. Outstanding! Be sure to ask for half and half on the yuca fry's and plantains too so you can try both and discover which ones are your favorite. Their coconut rice is also killer! If you end up feeling like you might have room for dessert, hard to believe you would cause the portions are huge, be sure to order one of their tres leche cakes from the cold case. I usually order one and take it home to eat after my food coma. read more

La Cocina De Abuela - Ropa Vieja with yellow rice, black beans and half yuca fries and plantains - Cuban Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

Food is excellent staff is extremely helpful and give a great experience. Has a kids area with some toys to keep the kiddos occupied.

My absolute favorite restaurant in Gainesville that I recommend to everyone who asks! The portion is amazing + the food is really delicious that gives you such a warm feeling when eating. The lunch special is great when I can catch the timing, but I'd pay any price for how good the food is! It's really a hidden gem in Gainesville! The staff is always nice and accommodating. The environment of the restaurant really does feel very homey and comfortable. read more

See all

No frills amazing Columbian food. Seriously food like your abuela would make. The coconut rice is so good that you will be sad that you can't fit more in your belly. Together with the black beans it makes a beautiful meal. Top it off with platanos/maduros for a sweet finish. read more

La Cocina De Abuela - Empanadas- beef, chicken & cheese. Bbq pork ribs. Coconut rice and beans. Platanos. Chicharron. - Cuban Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

Finally got a chance to visit Abuela's and it was everything I had heard and more. The food was absolutely wonderful and I'm sad I don't live closer to it. I had the lunch bowl with moro rice, picadillo, red beans, and fried yuca. They were out of some stuff like sweet plantains, so if you want the full set of options, come early. The lunch prices are pretty good too for the amount of food you get, I was full by the end of my meal. read more

La Cocina De Abuela - Moro rice, red beans, picadillo, fried yuca - Cuban Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

I often visit Abuela's for lunch. Abuela's has a cafeteria style. Take a gander at the large board by the front door to learn about their food options. I usually get the curry chicken with white rice and plantains. If you want to avoid meat, try the lentils with rice and plantains. The portions are pretty large, almost too much for lunch. Make sure to try their Cuban coffees. The cortadito is small but packs a punch! I think this is a family run business. The staff here are very nice and pleasant to talk with. Great opportunity to practice your Spanish. No drive through here but they have plenty of parking. I rarely need to wait long when ordering food. The prices here feel a little high. I typically spend about $17 for lunch. I love Cuban food so I know I'll be back soon! read more

I go in specifically for the empanadas and chicharrones. Their soup is REALLY good. I see that they have a "build your own" station. I haven't ordered anything that way YET. I absolutely love this place. My fiancé that was born and raised on Puerto Rico also love this place. There is no better place to get empanadas I PROMISE!! read more

I really love this little restaurant. They have a nice selection in a build your own plate style. I usually get Moho chicken over rice with black beans and love love it. Today I had some shredded pork over rice with black beans and it was really good. They also have guava pastries that are better than most in this area, I have one complaint that made this a three star review and that is the price. it was about $16 for their small portion and then plus the tip is $16 includes tax but still for a small container of rice and beans with a little meat on top. I think that's overpriced. read more

Finallyyyy, I got to try this place I've been hearing so many rave about! Actually, today was my third or fourth time visiting, but who's counting? I drive by this place so often, but the lines were always to the door and I was not ready to wait, no matter how good the food was said to be. My mistake. But at least I've learned my lesson, and now I know that if any food deserves a line, it's Abuela's. Authentic, delicious, filling, what more could I ask for?! I love that the process is quick - pick your rice, beans, meat, sides and then any other goodies you may decide to toss into the mix. And they aren't stingy with the portions at all, prepare for leftovers! I'm usually a Ropa girl, but at Abuela's I've switched it up and fallen in love with their tender, fall-off-the-bone Chicken Fricasse. SO GOOD! And with a lunch special under $10 including a drink, Abuela's is definitely a go-to lunch/dinner spot for all! read more

Had a really bad day and decided to treat myself with some food that reminded me of flavors back home. Boy was this a real treat! I ordered the ropa vieja and it is not usually favorite dish but Abuela's definitely changed my mind! Portion is huge, enough for two. Lentils were so perfectly done and the rice was so tasty. I am excited to order more things from here because the hype is so real! read more

La Cocina De Abuela - Ropa vieja with yellow rice and lentils and yuca - Cuban Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

delicious food well priced, clean restaurant plenty of tables definitely will be back, love the ox tail. read more

The food was very good. The price was right. We enjoyed sitting outside on the sidewalk with our dog. We've already returned once. I would highly recommend this restaurant. read more

This place is definitely a hidden gem in Gainesville. I haven't really heard that many people talk about it, but the few times I have I've only heard wonderful things. The food is very authentic and you can definitely tell that the restaurant is family run. They put so much passion into the food and that's definitely something that pays off in the taste. I definitely plan to come back here more often in the future. read more

See all

It only took me a year to finally make it here but it absolutely lived up to the hype. For a lunch special you get rice and beans, a meat, side, and a drink for 8.99. It's a LOT of food! I chose the porkchop with the yellow rice and veggies. Thankfully the porkchop had a deliciously flavorful sauce that I could put over the otherwise bland rice. I tried the beef (I can't remember the name) but it was too dry and a little tough. Standouts are the yuca (although you only get four pieces) and this wonderful delicious homemade drink that only after my second glass and a headache did I realize it was literally just boiled down cane sugar and lime juice! Totally worth the headache though! It's spacious and everyone is so kind as that is always a plus for me! read more

La Cocina De Abuela - Lunch special--porkchop black beans rice and yuca - Cuban Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

See all

Kind of out of the way from where many students live, but TOTALLY worth it. You can tell the food is made by someone who knows the cuisine and loves cooking. The staff is SUPER nice. I didn't know rice was considered a side so I got two others and asked if I could also have rice, to find out it wasn't a side. BUT, the worker there said I could have it for free this time. So i got three sides for the price of two because of my lack of reading. overall great place! read more

La Cocina De Abuela - Cuban Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

See all

While it is a little out of the way, if you're studying or getting some coffee at Curia on the Drag, be sure to stop by for some food here! Atmosphere: true to its name, it really feels like you're eating at your grandma's house. There's a little play area with toys for the kids, and plenty of seating for everyone. A fairly large place, it's located in a small plaza that looks like it houses a lot of "hole in the wall" stores. Service: 5/5 While there are no waiters to actually serve you since it's chipotle style, they are super nice. We had a lot of questions and they even offered to let us sample some of the meats to help us decide. Friendly, attentive, and very patient, the customer service was great. Price: 4/5 Lunch specials are $8.99 and comes with a smaller portion of the entree, 2 sides, and a drink. If you don't drink soda like me, I would just get the $9.99 entrees because you get more food and it's only $1 difference. Food: 4/5 So as I said before, they service chipotle style. So all the food is cooked and arranged on heaters to just scoop up onto a dish if you dine in or aluminum plates (exactly like Halal Guys if anyone has had that). I had the ropa vieja, yellow rice and beans, and chicharon for my entree. The meat was juicy, tender, not salty (which I found that ropa vieja usually is), and full of flavor. I sampled the mojo pork as well which was surprisingly juicy as well but I opted to go for the ropa since I had pork last night. The yellow rice and beans were standard but the chicharon was delicious. Crispy pork belly is hard not to love. I recommend this place if you're in the area! read more

See all

Abuela's has me absolutely drooooling. Every element of this plate is full of flavor and everything compliments each other better than I can describe. My friend and I both got white rice & black beans with mojo pork. We also got maduros & fried yuca, both of which were SOOOO good. Most importantly, make sure you get the white garlic sauce (especially if you get the fried yuca!!), it makes the meal just that much better. I can't believe this was my first time having it but it absolutely won't be the last. read more

La Cocina De Abuela - Rice, black beans, mojo pork & maduros + fried yuca - Cuban Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

This columbian restaurant has a festive and warm ambience inside. The dishes are made to order so you choose a base, protein, & 2 sides. The coconut rice is an up charge but it was definitely worth it. Super flavorful and kind of sticky. The chicken curry was very moist and tender. The fried yuca was a little on the drier side. Overall, it was delicious and I wished I got the large portion. My order was about $13. read more

La Cocina De Abuela - coconut rice with chicken curry, black beans, & fried yuca - Cuban Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

I am so in love with this place. I wish I'd discovered it sooner, as I'm moving to Seattle in a few weeks. The ambience is adorably chic, the restaurant is big and can seat a loooot of people. As for the food... omg. Exceptional choices available. While limited options (on a steam table) the dishes are incredible. I had the oxtail which was soooo deliciously tender and savory. The side dishes are generous, with white rice, Mexican rice and a third one I don't recognize. Other side options include: fried plantain, yuca fries, red beans, veggies, lentils, black beans, tostada on Cuban bread, empanadas (queso, beef, chicken), chicharron and chorizo. Definitely recommend this place sooo much. It's a hidden gem in a quiet strip mall. Get the oxtail!!!!!!! read more

See all

On the money!! Ropa vieja and mojo pork on point! If you don't have a good cuban place in your neck of the woods, this is a good spot! Lunch specials are a good value. A true Latin version of Chipotle and CAVA. read more

Great food at a decent price, friendly counter and nice seating area. Lots of dishes available, cafeteria style. The rice and beans plate is loaded and only $5, and they have meat, maduros, and lots more for cheap. Egg and plantain quiche slices for just $1! The rice and bean dishes are on the salty side, so if that's a thing for you, I recommend the red beans and yellow rice which have less saltly taste. One of the best affordable, authentic cuisine places in town! read more

The Ropa Vieja is amazing, the best I've ever had. I love the fried yuca and chicken empanadas as well. The owners are very kind. They are taking many measures for COVID, and I felt very safe getting lunch. You can eat outside at their picnic tables in the shade. read more

This is (no exaggeration) my favorite restaurant in all of Gainesville. Portions are great, service is amazing, and the food is unbeatable. The restaurant has a very relaxed, at-home vibe. You order your food at a build-your-plate counter, choosing between different kinds of rice, proteins, and sides. Staff have always been helpful when I'm not sure what to pick, and serving sizes are generous. In addition, you can also order sandwiches, empanadas, and desserts. The selection is pretty varied, but I've always loved what I've tried, especially their Veggie Empanada and the Tres Leches! For drinks, there are sodas as well as fruit juices and coffee. The iced Cafe Con Leche is a favorite of mine. read more

La Cocina De Abuela - Veggie plate with yuca and plantains - Cuban Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

La Cocina de Abuela is sooo good. Cafeteria style restaurants are sort of a dying breed in the United States, and that's unfortunate because sometimes I want a PLATE of food, meaning a meat, with two sides and maybe a piece of bread, a "dinner plate." I'm glad I finally made it to LCDA because I see it fills this void, it's a great place to eat while not breaking the budget and not leaving feeling unhealthy. I use to live in Colombia so I was happy to see a lot of Colombian foods and just general Latin American dishes. Washing my food down with a glass of Agua de Panela w/ extra limon was the icing on the cake for me. I'm excited to visit again and I really want to make it out for the Sancocho days! read more

La Cocina De Abuela - Just delicious. Lentils, coconut rice, mixed veggies and stewed chicken - Cuban Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

I'm trying to figure out why I haven't been here before? Wow, did I miss out. There are some incredible daily meals that bring authentic cuisine home. Everything is freshly prepared and of great quality. Everyone in the restaurant was happy, cheerful, and helpful. This will be one of my go to lunch spots from now on. I fell in love with the coconut rice and the rojas beef. My lunch partner had a cuban sandwich and I was jealous of it. We were here for lunch and we received more food than we could eat. There's a nice hot sauce bar with many of the usual favorites available to take to your table. There is an awesome kids play area. Parking can be a smidge tight. Who ever painted the parking spaces must have used Chevy Chevettes as their measurement stick because it's pretty tight with any larger vehicle. Go, eat, enjoy. This is a little hidden gem on the North side. Excellent value. Don't miss it. read more

La Cocina De Abuela - Food - Cuban Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

THE best Cuban sandwich in Gainesville. That's all you need to know! It's called abuela's for a reason. Huge portions!

Full disclosure, I live in New York now and rarely miss Gainesville. However, on this cold winter night, I couldn't stop thinking about Abuela's cozy, bright, and clean interior. The service was always wonderful, with the staff accommodating any special requests for pink sauce or mango smoothies just the way I like them. The real highlight, however, is the food. Abuela's plates feel like a big hug and their arepas de choclo are the perfect treat for cheese and carb lovers. read more

Kinda small selection but what I ordered (chicken fricassee) was absolutely fantastic and I will be reordering in the future. It was tender and flavorful and went well with the yellow rice and lentils I got as my sides. Very glad to have discovered this place. Heads up if you are doing BiteSquad, if you order a side of chorizo they might toss it in the same container as the chicken entree -- which is fine for me but may be relevant if someone in your party doesn't eat pork. read more

La Cocina may be the best lunch restaurant in Gainesville. It is extremely fast, as service style is simply a lunch-line. The food is great and the portions are large. Finally, the staff is extremely helpful and eager to offer suggestions. Come for the lunch special and you won't be out much more than ~$10 for a great meal. Food: 5/5 Service: 5/5 Price: 4.5/5 Atmosphere: 4/5 read more

La Cocina De Abuela - Cuban Near Me - Gainesville, Florida