I will start with the caveat that I do not like heat, so the entire model of a salsa bar is wasted on me because even the mild ones are too much. In that same light, if I think it's bland, the rest of the world truly must love spicy salsas because every thing else is not worth eating by itself! The chicken meat in my tacos was tender enough but it tasted like it was just bathing in a bland salsa and no seasoning. The soft flour taco was even more flavorless than the chicken meat (and I usually eat tortillas alone) but the hard corn tortilla had some flavor. I did like the shape of the hard tortilla, being longer instead of round made it easier to eat and made for better filling distribution. The raw ingredients tasted and looked nice and fresh, no wilty lettuces. I finally decided to order queso, guac, and salsa fresca to liven up my lunch, but no such luck. The most memorable part of my lunch was the lime dusted chips. Those that seem to adore this place won't have to worry about me being in their way during the lunch rush. When I'm craving a taco, I'd rather go anywhere else. read more

Tijuana Flats - Mexican Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

It's a solid Mexican chain restaurant. The quality at this particular store is good and it is also consistent. The menu has a wide selection of fare that ranges from tostadas to some big burritos. Tijuana Flats main attraction is the hot sauce bar. It goes from mild to wild. The food is good and the sauces are always fun to play with. The service at this restaurant is pretty quick. Its good for a lunch spot on a fast paced workday. The wait staff at this store have always been quick and attentive. They are quick to get the tables wiped down and turned over when it gets busy. Your drink cup wont go empty either. There isn't much of an on tap selection, but if you've hit the hot sauce bar like you should have, beer only need be cold and wet anyways. This store is generally more cleanly than other Tijuana Flats that I have visited. The restrooms at the store are much better when compared to others. There is a small patio out front at this location that is nice to chill out on in the cooler weather. I've tried to find something special about this place but its lackluster. Its missing ambiance, aura, atmosphere, and aspect. I suppose there are a few who might find this a good thing though. Parking can be a complete pain here. Whoever designed the parking lot should be revoked from civil engineering. There isn't enough parking and the lot doesn't allow cars to leave or enter easily when its busy. If it is busy, save yourself from the scratch and dent follies and park in the Lowe's lot. Its a short walk. Thanks for reading my review. Click a link below and tell me what you thought. :) read more

Got very sick off their food the night before graduation. I wrote the company and the only response I got was that they signed me up for their email club. The portions are smaller here than the one on university. This place is NOT consistent with the other locations. read more

Tijuana Flats - This is NOT worth the money. - Mexican Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

Believe it or not it was just OK for me. There has recently been an explosion of tex-mex restaurants popping up in Gainesville. Now there's Tijuana Flats. Ordering experience is your typical, walk in, order, sit down experience. Food was just OK, nothing great. I got the pork Chimicanga super sized. Cost was $10+ just for the super large (which wasn't that super large) Chimicanga and water Service was excellent, for the most part, the manager was busting his butt and doing a great job servicing tables, the servers were sort of slacking. It's a real hustle and bustle kind of place at lunch. Everyone at our table commented on how they want you in the door and out as soon as possible with continual "can I take that, can I take that?" comments. So far Tijuana Flats is better than Mo's, better than Willy's for me. read more

The service here is great! Everyone was friendly and helpful. I had the pick dos for $9.99. I had the chicken chimichanga and a beef hard shell taco. The taco was great. The chimi was good but a little doughy and not a lot of flavor. I also had rice a black beans. The beans are very good but the rice seemed a little dry. We also shared a big basket of fresh warm tortilla chips which were awesome. Overall good amount of food for the money. I'll be back. read more

Tijuana Flats - Chimichanga and taco with black beans and rice. Pick dos menu. - Mexican Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

Stopped in on a whim. Our table had a chicken bowl Taijuan flats way and a chicken chimichanga . The bowl was a generous portion that I couldn't finish. Definitely worth the money. Toppings were fresh, veggies crisp, the meat was tender. The hot sauce bar has about a dozen or so options. Loved it! Some may want to remember when ordering it's not a salsa bar like many places. My teenager enjoyed her chimichanga. I thought it was a little light colored and maybe a touch soft for a fried item but she really liked it. The restaurant is a very solid option in the category for us and we will go again. The only thing we thought was odd was if they are trying to cut back on landfill waste (which we assumed they are since they have paper straws) why then do they use styrofoam cups and plastic silverware lol???? read more

Good food. Service is good. When delivered it is still good just choose wisely because all tortillas will get soggy no natter from where. The salad is good. Get extra guac! read more

Been coming to "The Flats" for close to 15 years, now. My favorite go to, is the Tostado's with chicken, although I do get beef, on occasion. Last time I went, they changed the menu around, still have the tostado's they were slightly different for the better. My only complaint is the God awful, LOUD music they had playing. I'd rather have NO music than the crap they had playing at the Archer Road location. read more

This place was ok, not sure if we went on an off day as we were really looking forward to trying Tijuana Flats our based on its reviews. The plates were large so when the food got to the table I was worried- as it seemed we ordered too much food. Once we dig into our meals (nachos, fajitas and tacos) it seemed like our plates were comprised of a ton of chips, lettuce and pico de gayo. I'm not typically a heavy meat person in the first place so saying there was hardly any meat (chicken or steak) is bad coming from me. Its disappointing because we were really looking forward to this place. read more

Swung by here for a snack with my wife as we had a coupon/gift card. I ordered the chicken flautas and she ordered the churros. The flautas were amazing! So tasty, the wraps crispy and flaky, and once you put some sour cream, guac, and hot sauce... mmmhhhh. My wife liked the churros too. The downside was the cleanliness. They weren't very busy but tables had trash on them and needed to be wiped clean as there was crumbs and sauce spills. Lastly the table we sat at wasn't leveled and rocked back and forth... so annoying. These are fixable so we'll definitely be back but really hope they dedicate sometime to leveling the tables and cleaning a bit more often during their shifts. read more

I've been meaning to try out Tijuana Flats for quite some time, but never got around to it until today. Today, I had a sudden, persistent burrito craving. I no long eat at Chipotle (Google "Chipotle" and "guns" for details). I had also been meaning to try Willy's Mexicana Grill but their Gainesville location has closed (apparently as of only a few days ago), and Tijuana Flats was next on my to do list. So: Insanely great service! Order at the counter, they bring it to you at the table (I ordered to go, but ended up eating at a table because it was pouring rain). The lady taking my order was more friendly than it's possible to convey in text and extremely helpful in explaining the menu options. Then when I wandered over to the hot sauce bar (more on that in a minute), the manager happened by to discuss the sauces with me. The place was also clean, invitingly laid out and decorated, etc. I'd have no problem taking my mom there if she was a burrito fanatic (she isn't). Now, the food: This is not a "San Francisco Mission District style" burrito. It's more loosely wrapped, but it's definitely a healthy portion and in the same general price range as the San Francisco style chains I mention above. Instead of going down a line specifying each element and watching them build it, you order at the counter and it comes out a few minutes later (they were fast; they weren't especially busy, of course, but usually slow places are slow even when they're not busy). I ordered the chicken and bean burrito, and was pleasantly surprised to learn that refried beans were an option. Not that I mind black beans, but refried are a favorite of mine. The included toppings from which to choose are jalapenos, onions, tomatoes, sour cream and lettuce. I had everything except the lettuce. Their burritos come with a side of chips and a choice of salsa, queso or guacamole. I had the guacamole. The burrito was hot (as in warm, not as in spicy), the ingredients (including the guacamole for chip dipping) all seemed to be fresh, and everything was delicious. I'm a big eater but I was reasonably full after eating, even considering that I split the chips and guac with my wife. Now, the hot sauce bar. It didn't occur to me to count the number of options, but 20 sounds about right. Sauces range from very mild to a "death wish" option weighing in at 1.2 million scovilles (the unit of "heat" measurement for these things). I chose one of the "fairly hot" habanero-based varieties labeled "Spank My Ass and Call Me Sally," and spread just a little on my burrito. Plenty of heat, but plenty of good vinegar-based hot sauce flavor, too. The key point here is that you can choose a sauce you're comfortable with instead of getting stuck with something bland if you're a heat-seeker or having the roof taken off your mouth if you're more of a mild type. Oh, and for those who can't do without, they DO have an in-house sriracha option. After eating my burrito, I went back inside to take a little sample of the "death wish" sauce. This is the first time I've had the opportunity to know the scoville measurement of a sauce I was having, and I was a little afraid. But frankly it wasn't nearly as bad as I expected. I wasn't a big fan of the flavor (it's a darker flavor and I do like the vinegar-type), and the heat was a little bit uncomfortable but not "OMG, will someone PLEASE get me a gallon of milk!!!" or anything like that. I'm told they do sell hotter sauces by the bottle from behind the counter. If I have any complaint at all about Tijuana Flats, it's that they have no "shredded beef" option for their burritos. It's ground beef or steak (or cheese, beans, pork, or chicken). But that's not really a major complaint. The food is great, the service is great, the atmosphere is great, the price is reasonable. I'll be going back. read more

Honestly, Tuesdays are the only time I eat at Tijuana Flats and that's because it's TACO TUESDAY! I mean seriously...who can pass up the deal of two tacos (hard or soft) with your choice of meat and toppings along with chips and a drink. Not to mention you get to choose as many sauces as you wish! They give you a huge selection of sauces where some are sweet and savory, others are just plain hot! You can choose as many as you want and they have signs that tell you the level of burn each sauce gives you. I have to comment that the cup for which to hold the sauce is soooo tiny!!! I am one who likes to sometimes dip my taco into the sauce and these cups just don't allow that. One pump of the sauce and that's all that can fit, which is not to my liking. The reason I'm giving this restaurant only 3 stars is because there are times I have been here and the taco shells are stale. It's as if they were saved from last week - there was no crisp crunch from a nice fresh taco shell! The service is pretty good - the waitresses are attentive when it comes to refills on drinks and they clean up your table once you leave. Once again, I only dine here on Tuesdays so I'm not too sure about other items on the menu. read more

Good food at a fair price. Great customer service! They fully explained their extensive hot sauce selection too!

During teacher appreciation week my friend and I went in to get free whatever it was because of a meal I had both a letter and a paystub the so-called manager refused both of them even though with my friend said that I worked with her it wasn't enough for this guy so I got upset and walked out so she embarrassed me in front of my friends in front of the customers who were there as I find from another do you want to flats what I had which should've been sufficient the manager was not a very professional and was rather rude corporate was not much more assistant they kept bouncing my email from Moore to another if you're gonna do a threesome thing make sure that you have more than just one item that you can prove versus I don't have my military ID but I who do have it on my drivers license after spending so much money with them during Covid I decided never again so they lost a lifetime customer because I used to also go in Jackson Illinois park for a stupid Aiden nine dollar dinner not a very good way of doing business read more

Very good Mexican at a reasonable price. This place has tons of hot sauces and all the regular Mexican options. Try the fish tacos and plan for extra time if you go here around lunch because they're packed. read more

Tijuana Flats - Hot sauce bar - Mexican Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

So, I used to really enjoy T-Flats, but the past few visits to their new location have been disappointing. I'm not sure what they changed in the back, but the flavor of their food has changed. Specifically, the salsa is never consistent and I couldn't even eat the last side of salsa that I ordered. It had the funk of a man after sweating all day at a theme park in the peak of summer and then decided to walk through a landfill. Truly repugnant stuff. What made it worse was the fact that the rest of the food was super salty so it would've been nice to have a fresh something to balance out all of the salt. Word to the wise, smell your salsa before you take a bite. Better to get a whiff of the man rather than a taste of him. read more

Order 1 quesadilla and had to wait for 30 minutes just to get it without all my toppings and plus on the side, like who wants to pull apart their food and stuff it with toppings (that I didn't even get) and then try to eat when it's falling apart. I'm never eating here again! read more

Very acceptable chain restaurant. Love their sauce bar. Enjoyed the manager coming out and having a friendly spicy eating challenge with me. Food was good- salty, but it was still good. I would recommend making sure you get the healthier version of things. It's free and taste better! read more

Great food, excellent service. The hot sauce bar was very fun. The counter guy came over and explained the the 10-12 different hot sauces and dropped off some chips so we could try them out. Chipotle doesn't stand a chance in this neighborhood. read more

Tijuana Flats - The hot sauce bar, the Datil pepper was my favorite. - Mexican Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

TT@TF Taco Tuesday at tijuana flats! Good food, fun, lively atmosphere. What's not to like? It's infinitely better than Taco bell but also not a five star restaurant. Good food at reasonable prices. read more

I've always been a big Tijuana flats fan, but this last time that I ordered a chicken burrito, something was definitely off. I'm not sure if they've changed recipes or got a bad batch, but the burrito literally smelled and tasted like cat food, and there was none of their usual seasoning on the chicken. The chicken is normally kind of shredded, but this time it was obliterated and looked almost gray. The tortilla was also stale and almost gummy. I'm sure something was just off or things got changed because of this whole epidemic, and I still love their food! Just wanted to give a warning so nobody gets sick. read more

Me and my nephew had the best time at Tijuana Flats and Gainesville met the GM Mike he was so nice the best personality ever we will come back and eat there soon we were from Panama City Beach Florida read more

Tijuana Flats - Mexican Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

Great food, fresh and quickly served without feeling fast-food like. Fun atmosphere (not loud) that's lively but good for all types of crowds like families and groups. Good menu options including options for vegetarians, too. Great food, great deals throughout the week, too, for the budget friendly folks. I went for Taco Tuesday at lunchtime and there was a mistake in my order (I order 2 orders and only 1 was placed). A guy (didn't get his name, wish I had, but perhaps he was a manager?) came out to verify the order and when I clarified it should have been two orders, he not only didn't charge me for their mistake despite my offer to pay, but also apologized and rushed the 2nd order to be made. That's good customer service! Tijuana Flats always has the most upbeat, positive, good energy employees. A refreshing change from most places! read more

Pretty good and quick Tex Mex. Really fun decor. Tried their steak and chicken Fajita Quesadilla, the steak was really good. The Atom bomb though, that was amazing. Basically cheesy jalapeño spring roll, with a dab of sour cream. Whats not to love? Highly recommend that. And for anyone who likes Bloody Mary but as a sauce, try Rasta Sauce read more

Second time coming to a TF place. First time was in Daytona Beach or Port Orange so I was happy to see we had one here in Gainesville. It's off Archer Road which I don't go that way or live over there. Currently the parking is limited because of the construction happening right next to it. Carpool. If the weather is nice, sit outside. It's too loud and the tables (IMO) are too close. My mom & I sat at the bar height tables and felt like we were right on top of others. I talked up the food to my Mom and was a little disappointed. Not a fan of guacamole but liked TFs, well this one had no flavor. I had the chicken tacos and the chicken had no flavor. My mom had the beef tacos which she said were ok. The queso is too strong but I mix hot sauce and/or sour cream. Still love the hot sauces. I may one day so buy the two I really loved. Can't remember the names but they had peach and sweet onion in them. Jason's Mom is a good one too. read more

18$ for burrito, salad and one coke. They forgot to put the salad in my taco salad. It was one of the MOST miserable beef salads I've ever had. There was leas than a cup 8oz of lettuce. the extra guac had a brown spot and was only about 2Tbs. The beef and the bowl were good, but the bowl was empty. What a rip off. My husband liked his burrito, but this place was way too expensive for the value. Is there ANY good food in Gainesville? read more

I ordered a vegan burrito for my sister and they left meat in it so if you are vegan I suggest you go somewhere else because they will leave animal products in your food. My sister ate the whole burrito without noticing and then vomited afterwards because she is sensitive to meat, so before you go eat here just saying they will leave animal product and meat in your food if you are vegan or vegetarian. read more

Awesome new location for T Flats. The downside to the W University location was parking and how busy it was. This place still gets some traffic but you can always find a table. Taco Tuesday is an absolute must if you are comming here. For 4.99 you can get two tacos chips and a drink. The tacos are great both chicken and beef and hard and soft shell. The service here is top notch! We ordered slasa and ran out of chips and they brought more without having to ask. They also are awesome on keeping up with refills. Overall this is a great location and a solid place to eat. read more

This is the blandest Mexican food I've ever had! I ordered the Dos Tacos. They looked good, but they had no sauce, no lime wedges, and no taste of authentic or even generic Mexican flavors. It was just dry and bland. It was a waste of money. read more

I am SO excited to have a Tijuana Flats on this side of town. Having frequented the University location for years and never having had a bad experience, the Archer location had big shoes to fill. I came here for dinner on St. Patty's Day, when it wasn't too busy. I love the large outdoor seating area, and they definitely keep true to the crazy Tijuana Flats decor I'm used to. The green, blue and black lights make your food funny colors if you eat inside...purple jalapenos and blue lettuce and whatnot. I ordered the chicken No-ritto bowl for the first time and the rice and beans were warm and the veggies were fresh and delicious. It was a huge enough portion for me to split into two meals. I recommended that my boyfriend try the chimichanga since it was his first time eating at a TF, and he loved it. It was warm, metly, cheesy, tasty and made a great first impression. I've definitely converted him. Basically, it's a great food value, always fresh and fast, and has good beer specials. Also, they have several TVs tuned to a variety of sports. I can't wait to come back! read more

I have been here many times now. It's my go to Mexican place. I have tried almost everything on their menu. Last time I went there, I had enchiladas with veggies. read more

Usually Tijuana Flats is a sure bet in terms of good food, and service. I had no complaints about service but the tacos I was served had an extremely small amount of meat inside. I did ask for more meat but I when receiving the extras and leaving I realized it was a cup of cheese. Very disappointed in the tacos I was served, I would avoid this location, the one on University Ave. is consistently better. read more

Tijuana Flats - Mexican Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

The queso and chips are delicious! Love the atmosphere and staff. Very helpful and clean establishment.

First time at Tijuana Flats.. didn't disappoint.. Service was great. Felt like they really wanted me to eat there.. nice people. I had the grilled chicken burrito with all veggies.. If I had to critique this establishment, it would be, get a full bar.. Either way, I'll be back read more

Tijuana Flats is my go-to restaurant on Tuesday nights. Their "Tijuana Tuesdaze" special is a great deal and the food is very satisfying. Every Tuesday, you can get two tacos, chips, and a drink for just $5.99, and it's definitely worth it. One of my favorite features of Tijuana, is their hot sauce bar. Their sauces range from sweet with no spice to medium to deadly with a sign indicating the spiciness of each. It's perfect for the adventurous eater who wants to try more, and you can get as much as you want. Additionally, the workers there are friendly and the service is quick. There was almost no line when I arrived despite the popularity of the deal, especially in a college town. I felt like there could have been more beef in the tacos I got this time around as the toppings took up 3/4 of the filling, but I was still happy with my meal. read more

Definitely a must-try for Tex-Mex! The food was delicious and the atmosphere was incredible! The hot sauce bar is a nice touch with a huge selection of flavors ranging from sissy to death wish. Be sure to get your burrito or rice bowl covered in queso! Delicious read more

LOVE me some TF's! Love me some Taco's! And love their chips and their Queso - I get them to add beef to it - BEEFY QUESO! Yum! Love Tuesday's! read more

Usually get the throwback Thursday burrito. But last time my burrito was half the size of my girlfriends and I had more toppings! Not going back. read more

Go on Tuesdays for Taco Tuesday. 2 tacos, chips, and a drink for $5. Or Thursday for a burrito, chips, and a drink for $5! Awesome service!

Service was quick and good. However the nachos, which we have gotten at many different locations, were not to great as the cheese was hardly melted. Not much of nachos but just shredded cheese on chips. Location is very clean and has great seating option read more