I recently visited La Cocina de Abuela for lunch. The restaurant is set up cafeteria style and you…read moreorder 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.

Very tasty food that tastes homemade! The chicken was cooked to perfection as was the rice, and…read moreeverything 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!

Friday night , we stopped into Flaco's for some late night eats after listening to our friend's…read moreband play at the bar/lounge next door. My first time at Flaco's but definitely NOT my last The person (who I assume must be the owner) working the register, taking the orders,and making the food was so kind, suggesting options for me given it was my first time there. I got the beef arepas and a cheese pastry cause I was not too hungry. The food was piping hot and delicious. Others in our group got their empanadas, Cuban sandwich, cheese arepas, quesitos, loaded nachos, and guava cheese pastry. As we sat there eating, the line was growing longer and longer, and out the door by the time we left. It was not due to slow service but volume of last night revelers. The one person working that night was incredibly efficient. Kudos to him. Clean bathroom is a good sign of a clean establishment. Flaco's bathroom was clean. I will be back for more tasty eats!

Has Flaco's quality gone down over the years, or was I just a drunk college student when I used to…read morelike it? We were driving up north and craving Cuban food, so we decided to quickly stop at Flaco's for a bite. The parking was horrendous, but that's expected of downtown Gainesville. Just as bad as the parking was their selection and quality of bakery snacks. The guava and cheese pastelitos were horrible; stale dough and barely any cheese. After my first bite I even thought they gave me the guava-only pastelitos... you couldn't taste the cheese. The empanadas were dry, and the dough was terrible as well, but the flavor of the filling saved them. The quesitos were the best of the bunch. If you're expecting South Florida quality Cuban dulces... you're in for a treat. Maybe I just had too high of expectations?

Graduation celebration party of 11. Tinker has officially stolen my heart (and my appetite)! Every…read moresingle thing that hit our table was a flavor explosion, but I have to give a standing ovation to the pollo a la plancha juicy, perfectly seasoned, and cooked to absolute perfection. It's the kind of dish you take one bite of and immediately plot your next visit. And the side dishes...oh my goodness. Usually you have a "favorite" side and a "meh" side, but here, every single one was a star in its own right. Creamy, vibrant, tangy, savory, each had its own personality and every bite made me do a little happy dance. Honestly, it's rare to find a place where the sides are just as memorable as the main course, but Tinker nails it. The atmosphere was warm, the service was wonderful, and by the end of the meal everyone basically grinning like a kid at their birthday party. The Tres Leche cake was insanely good! If you haven't been yet, go. And if you have you already know you're overdue for another plate! It was really that good!

The ambiance of the room was quite pleasant, although the building side facing the street could use…read moresome work. I've driven by many times and through the smoked glass it looked like chairs or something else was stored behind it and I though it had closed.The service was very good, prompt but not over attentive! The selection of Beers was outstanding! I had a starter of what was billed as Chupe De Pollo, (chicken chowder), it had very thick broth and was chocked full of chicken. Chicken breast was used and although there was a lot it was very dry and the broth was more like a heavy veloute. It also did not have much flavor. I won't be ordering that a again. My wife and I had Empanadas, mine was shredded beef and hers shredded chicken. I could have used a bit more sauce for dipping. The shell was quite crisp but not greasy. But all and all it was good. Our friend had the vegetarian arepas and let me taste some, it was quite good. She finished the whole dish! We also shared the loaded fries which came out hot with an interesting sauce drizzled over it. We didn't have the bacon on it as our friend is vegetarian. That would have made it even better for me. All in all it was a fun experience and we'll be going back.

I can honestly say I've had really bad luck in this place. Not only does the service take forever,…read morebut also it is just crappy food. I just think they don't try hard enough, the people working there perhaps are not properly trained, paid or it just comes all the way from the top. I went there to give them a second chance since I had previously tried them about a year ago and I thought the food was not good back then, but maybe since they have been open long enough, maybe it was that one thing I had. Well I was wrong, I ordered just some appetizers, not even a full meal or anything and they took almost an hour to bring it out!! I didn't want to complaint so I just took my food to go and left, but when I got home the mandocas I ordered were terrible, tasted like they just reheated them and didn't even have cheese or nata which is what they should come with, or how they are served in any Venezuelan place you go to. On top of that, I had asked for cilantro sauce for the tequeños, they said it was in the bag, and when I got home they just put garlic sauce in there!! I didn't even eat, what a waste of money and energy to go there. Terrible experience, I don't recommend the headache to anyone, it's just not worthy. Unfortunately.

Staff was great and friendly, we came early on a Saturday morning. The shredded beef arepa was…read moredelicious it had ham, cheese, cabbage, mayo and ketchup but bit pricey for $15 for only one. I wish they had a kids menu or more sides like French fries. They do also have an ice cream business so its pretty nice if you want to eat an arepa and then stay for dessert.

Very authentic Mexican food! This is a great Mexican staple for Gainesville. You order at the…read morecounter and choose a table, so a great place for lunch or a quick dinner. The service is always super fast. The food is always fresh and authentic. Not pictured are the birra tacos, which are my favorite and go-to item at La Tienda. The spice is tolerable, and the meat is always fresh. The nachos were a huge portion and had nicely seasoned meat. The queso was warm which was lovely

True Mexican restaurant. Very casual and basic. Some of staff speaks English but not all. Inside…read moreand outside dining. Order at counter and they bring food out. Cash discount on food. Good size portions. My husband had the chorizo eggs with beans and rice. Just ok. I tried the Huarache (house specialty) with Barbacoa beef. Masa pancake with meat, lettuce, shredded cheese, sour cream and avocado. Delish! We are from out of town but would definitely come back for if in Gainesville

Food was delicious. It was made fresh. Everything was…read morepackaged nicely with utensils. The delivery lady was exceptional. I would highly recommend

I have ordered some food from here on my way from home all the Piccalo black beans and rice. The…read morefood was very delicious but for some reason I didn't get any pick a deal or really on my plate. More rice thenPiccalo very small small potion of it.That's my only complaint. The food was delicious. The guava pastry was fresh and delicious. I'm thinking about giving them another try along with my wife had a Cuban sandwich maybe I just caught them on a bad day and they were cause I got a spoonful, but it was more rice. A lot of rice.

Good food at Los Pollos Rotisserie (Original Location) Gainesville, FL…read more Switched it up and tried their Tex-Mex side of the menu: - California Burrito - A big flour tortilla filled with steak, rice, black beans, cheese, pico de gallo, and guac. I threw in a side of maduros (sweet plantains) and honestly... they should offer that officially. Call it the SunRaye Burrito with steak and sweet plantains inside a burrito? Yum. Personal critique -one note- it'd be more steak, less rice. But the flavor was on point. We had swung by Los Pollos Rotisserie just before closing, and even at the end of the night, they did a great job. I love most to see this spot is consistently good and always updating - haven't been let down by a meal here, and I keep coming back. This is a stand-in-line, order-at-the-counter, seat-yourself type of place--and it works. Freshly remodeled interior looks great, and I've always loved the outdoor patio area... maybe one day they can screen it , especially for those perfect Florida days.

This place is closed down and out of business! I drive all the way across town only to find it…read moreclosed down.

Don't let the name fool you--they're not just chicken. The meat here is solid! Tried that first…read morebite, and I became a big fan. Well seasoned, tender, flavorful--fills my Latin craving. Remember, Los Pollos Rotisserie & Grill - Not Just Chicken! During this visit, I went for the specials (not on the regular menu). You've got to check the written board. I got: Tostones Rellenos: Green plantains, stuffed with chicken and cheese, then drizzled in avocado sauce. Every bite was packed. Churrasco Bowl: similar to the carne asada/steak bowl but upgraded with fresh chimichurri sauce and sided with Latin white rice, black beans, and sweet plantains. This is their second location of Los Pollos Rotisserie & Grill in Gainesville--this one's over on Archer Road. It's a line-order style setup, and then you grab a booth while they bring the food out. Honestly, I didn't know what to expect the first time I walked in. I was hesitant. The staff were cool--friendly, smiling, and the service was quick. The location is clean, comfy, and bright.

Ever since my undergrad and grad school days in Gainesville, this location for a restaurant had…read morealways seemed to be "cursed." No restaurant has lasted for more than a year at most. Hearing that Los Pollos opened up a second location here, I decided to drop by and check it out. I really really hope they endure because the food here is just as good as the original location. The much larger space means you can come with a bigger group. Service was fast and efficient. I got the Lomo Saltaldo and was pleasantly surprised at the portion size. Good portion or rice and a substantial portion of beef and French fries, all tossed in a rich sauce. So if you're driving past this restaurant, drop by and give them a try. Support local and help them succeed :)

Older review, but found the pictures today. This was from a visit at Daft Cow many months back…read more Also a great brewery. THe food is intereting. You get a burger, with various toppings, on an arepa (corn pancake essentially. The one I got had a pesto-ish may on it, with beef, bacon, and cheese. Exccelent meal. Worked really well with the beer at Daft Cow. Would definitely try again, either from the food truck or one of the store fronts in Orlando.

I do have a thing for a latino food truck! Here is another good find. Did a pickup and took home to…read moreeat. The tequeños were delicious. The pulled meat Empanada also good! I had the Meat Patacon - Grilled beef with artisanal Venezuelan queso smoked ham all between 2 green fried plantain. HUGE! - Look them up patacones at @arepaburgerfoodtruck - It was drizzled with sauce all over which was messy, but also finger licking gooey. The green fried plantain were a a bit thick, but the sauce makes it all come together.

I get an arepa from here anytime I see them in Depot Park. They're sooo good and really fillingread more

A little on the expensive side but food was really good and the portions seemed appropriate.read more