Boca Fiesta

Went here with the Omnomnomicon crew. There were six of us, and when half of us arrived we asked for a table. Had to hassle with the wait staff a bit in order to get us seated as they wanted five of us there before they would seat us, despite the place being half empty on a Wednesday night during the summer when most of the students are out of town.
I managed a compromise wherein we would take a corner booth with an adjoining empty table that we would fill when the rest of the group arrived, but until then that table would remain empty. While we were there and when we left, the place was still a quarter empty. I still have a sneaking suspicion that the hostess finally relented only to get me out of her hair…
OK, that taken care of, on to the food. Drinks up first… I know that there were members in our group sampling the various beers and ales available, but as they did not have much selection in terms of ciders, I went with their limeaid, which was excellent. Chips with salsa were also served… I personally think that the salsa could have used more cilantro, but I have been spoiled by other places in town that probably go overboard with the stuff…
Next were appetizers… I had the quesadilla with beef, which was pretty good, but could have used some salsa as a side as well as the sour cream that was provided (we had already destroyed the supplied salsa that came with the chips above…)
For an entrée I ordered the steak burrito, and quite frankly I was expecting a bit more than what I got, having read the reviews here. Ah well, it was still pretty good and worth the price.
We would go back, I think. Parking in the area is a bit rough, and if you can get street parking you are very lucky. For motorcyclists, be aware that it is possible to park on the sidewalk outside of the place, sort of between Boca Fiesta and the Hippodrome.

Fantastic tacos! Boca Fiesta has that offbeat vibe many of us love about Gainesville, coupled with a delicious take on Mexican-​inspired cuisine. Try the green hot sauce in the honey bear container — flavorful without being too spicy.

I love Boca Fiesta! First off, if you don’t know Boca Fiesta means Mouth Party (or Party In Your Mouth) and that’s what it feels like! I’ve been here quite a few times, most recent for a Unilocal Meet n’ Greet last night.
The space is large and very well located in the Sun Center Plaza. There’s an inside area, with merch and a full bar as well as a huge outside area! Inside is nice and in the dead of summer I’ll sit in there but the courtyard is where I generally gravitate to because I personally like being outside.
I’ve had numerous menu items here and it has all been delicious! They give you complimentary chips and salsa (YUM) and they have a cool make your own guacamole set up you can order so you can make it to your specifications. The tacos are delicious, I’ve tried the tempeh, tvp (textured veggie protein), chicken, beef, fish. I’m also a huge fan of the sesame seared tuna, breakfast burrito, empanadas, kale salad, and vegan Mac n chz! It’s great because depending on your food restrictions or diet anyone can here, so it’s an awesome place to meet with a group! The drinks… ohhhh the drinks! Their lemonade is fresh squeezed (nuff said), the alcoholic drinks are awesome! I always get the house margarita (not your average house margarita) it’s sweetened with agave, oj and soda water so you don’t get that weird taste from mixes that some places use. WARNING: they are delicious but they are strong! as another Unilocaler mentioned, I have a list of nights I don’t remember that started with BF margaritas!!! They have local beers which I love (way to support other local establishments)! All of the drinks are tasty. On Sunday’s they have brunch and a Bloody Mary Bar… yes please!
The service is great. Some of these people have been there for years and they are on top of it. «Ask and you shall receive!» I really appreciated at the Unilocal event that so many different people were coming by to help and pitch in. Everyone is super friendly and can give you excellent recommendations if you’re torn between options or need to modify your meal.
All in all BF is a fun, local place with «party in your mouth» food and drinks and they have great service. Go check them out and have a margarita for me!

If you know me, you know I love Boca Fiesta! From tacos and burritos to decadent vegan fried mac n cheese, I’ve thoroughly noshed my way through their menu.
Their space is great. With air conditioned indoor, outside patio or the backyard bar, you’re bound to find seating to suit your needs. With three different bars on site, you have no excuse to not have a drink in hand!
The food and drinks always make my tastebuds happy! They offer a wide variety of options that will please omnivores, vegetarians and vegans. Seasonally the offer exotic dishes, so be sure to check those out! Some of my favorite menu items are the Fried Vegan Mac n Cheese, Stir Fry Burrito and Tempeh Empanada. The margaritas are absolutely mouth watering –the best in town.
I’ve always had good service. Sometimes they get really busy, but the severs stay on top of things. From dining alone to dining with large groups, I’ve always had a good experience. Joseph is one of my favorite servers –he’s awesome!
With great food, awesome margaritas and an overall good hang, I’m all about Boca Fiesta!

Well, I’m not sure yet… but I’m willing to find out! I think. First, I’m definitely a fan of the space, layout, and location of Boca! I love the many dining options in one spot, the streaming music on the upper deck added some umph, and BF would seemingly be a great hang. I’ll definitely keep this in mind when I’m entertaining in town and atmosphere is kinda’ all that matters– if ya’ know what I mean!
Now onto my «Boo! Hiss.» moments… (I’ll preface this by saying that my mom and I first visited Boca Fiesta at a Unilocal event, so you’d think they’d turn it up a notch, right?!) Although I could taste the flavor in there somewhere, the drinks were quite watery (we had both house and strawberry margaritas) and I don’t know if the fact that it was «Taco Tuesday» was to blame for upstaging or what. Upon arrival, a few Unilocalers led us to believe that BF margaritas were all the rage and after half-​drinking mine, I was left scratching my head and thinking– «I’ve, consistently, had better!»
The salsa was fresh, but not great. I will say that the beef taco was the food star! My mom tried the TVP tacos and likened it to eating Alpo. (Yep, Alpo.) Although I’ve never had the experience, I got the mental comparison and had to agree. Although soy based «meat substitute» products don’t bother me, weird flavors in my tacos (because of said meat substitutes) do! Clearly not a fan. Finally, onto the service. In one word… shoddy. It took us two tries to get the server to bring us small plates to share the chips and salsa. I missed an entire round waiting for a plate. My table mates had to flag him down to order more drinks and additional food. He also never even attempted to clear the table of our dirty dishes! Right up to the moment we were leaving, we were swimming in dishes.
So… Obviously, I’m missing something. People rave about the this place, so maybe I was here on an off night. The simple fact that I was in good company, got some awesome Unilocal «schwag», a single beef taco, and the overall atmosphere were the only wins at BF tonight, and that’s not enough is it?
…Stay tuned for further developments!

What a great little restaurant my son who goes to UF in a deuce me to this place we all ate there I had the two tacos one was a steak taco the other was a gator taco both just season great great taste great flavor my daughter have the hamburger with Swiss cheese so good the potato chips/​French fries are awesome it’s a must do place

My favorite restaurant ever! The gator tacos are so tasty, the service is good, and the atmosphere is very hip and fun.

Boca Fiesta is hands down my favorite restaurant in Gainesville. I live about an hour south so whenever I come up to visit, I make sure to stop in and grab some food.
The best thing on the menu is the cheesy Mexican corn called Elote. It’s a perfect mix of spicy, cheesy, and all together incredible. I’m also a big fan of the pulled pork tacos. I never leave hungry.
The drinks are also a big plus. The cocktail menu is eccentric and although I’ve only tried the beer and margaritas, my girlfriend has confirmed that their entire drink menu is worth trying. But back to the margaritas, you are most definitely getting your dollars worth for the drink because the bartenders do not skimp on the tequila and I’m always happy to leave a good tip.
Boca is a must-​try for anyone visiting Gainesville!

Do you love average over-​priced Mexican food? Do you love bartenders that ignore you because they’re too busy tweeting about hipster bullshit? Do you hate your life? Then Boca Fiesta is the place for you! Go here if you are looking for a waste of your time. They’ll give you queso but no chips, full-​priced drinks in a miniature cup, and just an all around awkward vibe. This place sucks dick and Unilocal deserves to know. Be better and fucking go to Taco Bell.

Do you like giant margs in mason jars for $ 7?! I do! Boca is seriously one of my favorite places to go out downtown. The hipster Mexican vibes make me feel like I’m in a bodega. Although the food isn’t all that great, I stay for the tasty drinks and fun times.
Boca is filled with plenty of eclectic art. The décor, like most of downtown Gainesville, is pretty hip. The inside bar is rather large, which is a major plus. It is pretty easy to get a table here. The best part is that while you’re waiting for a table, you can indulge in happy hour pricing. Why don’t more places do this? Oh la la. With $ 3 wells, beers, and wine, this is just the beginning of the many awesome experiences at Boca. Unlike other places, tequila is considered in their wells here. Also unlike other places, Boca makes sure the presentation and freshness is on point even with a single well. Don’t expect the grimy artificial give year old tasting syrup you get in midtown. Say hello to fresh juices and liquors.
You get a free order of chips with every meal. Their salsas are tasty, but the chips are a bit stale for my taste. I have tried the steak and pork street tacos here. Nothing really special, especially for the price. The same goes with the quesadillas. Overall, the food, eh, not that great, but I would be willing to try more. They have plenty of house made hot sauces so make sure to try those!
Now onto the drinks, quite possibly my favorite part. Pro tip: if you are going dancing at the Backyard portion, order your drinks inside Boca at the bar. Not only are they bigger, served in glass, but they also taste a lot better and are made with more care. So the house margarita is always a good go to. I also really enjoyed all of their flavored margs including the pomegranate and strawberry margs. These are not too sweet and have the perfect balance of juice and tequila. The mint margarita was too bitter for my taste.
Bocas bartenders are a wealth of mixology knowledge so make sure to pry their brains for delicious drinks. My favorite drink from here is the Rosemary Rye Lemonade which the lovely bartender whipped up for me on the fly. Although not on the menu, this is something you should order. Topped with rosemary, this is 100% a party in your mouth.
Now I can go on and on about all of my favorites here, but you won’t know until you find out yourself! With Backyard and Palomino attached, you are perfectly set for a fun night in DT GNV.

This is my go-​to place for margaritas. They also have great queso and guacamole which you put together yourself so you can add the amount and ingredients you want. The pizzadilla is amazing and I’ve recently discovered the option of making the burrito into a bowl and «smothering» it with queso — always a good idea. I also love their seared tuna tacos.

Hubby and I stopped in here during Sunday Brunch right after my tattoo was completed next door. They offered both a special Sunday Brunch menu as well as their regular menu, which is what we ended up ordering from.
I love the menu and the options for vegans and vegetarians. We enjoyed the pizzadilla, but it was huge! We thought it was going to be a small appetizer size, but it could have easily been our meal. We only ate half of it and wrapped the rest up to go.
My husband tried the stir fry tacos at the recommendation of my tattoo artist, and I tried the tempeh tacos. The stir fry tacos packed tons of flavor but the tempeh tacos were bland. They just needed something like cumin or something to give the tempeh some flavor.
The service was okay. I mean, the servers are all a bunch of college kids, and you don’t come to a place like this for the great service. Our gal could have smiled just a bit, but she just seemed really serious the whole time while we laughed. Maybe she thought we were creepy old people or something.
Regardless, the menu here offers something for everyone and we’ll be back simply for that reason!

Such a fun atmosphere! Good specials on drinks and amazing food. Highly recommend to everyone! We had the steak nachos and friend Mac and cheese balls– they are a must!!! Enjoy!

Boca has been a bastion of tex mex food in the downtown area. Over the years their menu has expanded from humble tacos and burritos, to offering pub fare and brunch options. They also have a full service bar.
Today I had a craving for their certain brand of mexican, so my wife and I were lured downtown for lunch. Their brunch menu was in full effect, but fortunately they were still serving their usual fare. Normally, I would place an order for the exotic offering of the month which has ranged from rattlesnake to grub stuffed poblanos in the past. Due to the Christmas holiday though, there was not a special today.
My wife got the egg bacon and avacado breakfast sandwich, while I chose three tacos Chefs choice, and an order of queso for both of us. The queso arrived first, it was the appropriate consistency, great flavor, and just a hint of heat from green chilies. Boca’s hous seasoned tortilla chips provided the perfect queso vehicle.
I didn’t taste my wife’s breakfast sandwich, but my three tacos were tasty. Two had a soft shell one with gator, and one with pulled pork, while the third was beef with a hard shell. The beef was close to what most people think of a taco lettuce, tomato, and yellow cheese. The steak was cooked perfectly, and I added a dash of their housemade hot sauce to round out the flavors. The gator was presented in fried bitesized nuggets with some lettuce and some spicy mayo. The pork was in pulled form, resting on a bed of cabbage slaw, with tomato on top. Both offerings were quite tasty.
I would defiantly reccomend Boca Fiesta to anyone seeking tex mex fare in the downtown area, howere I will also caution against bringing large parties. 8 or more do not get their checks split, and service can be slow with big groups. Otherwise, dine away!

So I’d actually like to give this place 3.5 stars. 4 for food, 3 for service. We came in on an early Friday night at around 7pm. We were offered the option of sitting inside with a 20 minute wait, or outside immediately. It was rather chilly that night, but we were assured that there were heaters outside at each table, so we agreed to sit outside. It was a mistake to choose outside; the heaters that were above the tables did not provide much warmth– it was too far from the table and only reached the far corner of the table. Then, we were forgotten by the waitstaff. It was about 20 minutes after we were seated when I realized tables that were seated way after us had gotten their drink orders. I asked my husband to get the attention of another waiter, and when our waitress finally came, she apologized profusely that there was a miscommunication. We ordered the elote corn and gator bites for the table as appetizer. The elote was very tasty, and the gator bites were pretty good too.
As we were finally able to enjoy our dinner, a rather loud and obnoxious party was seated RIGHT BEHIND me and my husband. It was only a party of 5 people, but oh lawd jesus they were loud! A big saucy blonde chick and her posse were very loud, yelling at times, and cackling in her stringent laugh. At least it gave me the opportunity to tell my husband– «aren’t you glad I don’t sound like that?» I was upset with that party for kind of ruining the night– their loud obnoxious boisterous laughing gave me a headache, but I was also upset that the management/​waiter did not ask them to settle down. Boca Fiesta is usually loud inside anyways, but seriously, you have got to believe me that this party of 5 was way louder than acceptable. It was downright rude of them.
Anyways, for our dinners I had the beef and pork tacos. I liked the pork ones better, since I didn’t realized the beef tacos were ground beef. I put them on the chips and ate them like nachos. My husband had the street style steak and pork tacos. The steak tacos were my favorite– very tender cubed steak.
Overall, I will be visiting Boca Fiesta again– maybe not soon, but I definitely will.

Management needs to understand what «customer service» means.
My husband, a local business owner, and I arrived Sunday afternoon, just after 3 pm, and we were immediately turned away. The despondent host said they weren’t serving anymore because they were closing at 4 for a Christmas party. It was only 3:10. And there were plenty of tables still finishing.
Giving them almost an hour to have us out the door, we asked if I could get a quick taco salad.
I’m 6 months pregnant and this was one of the only places left open downtown on a Sunday.
We explained it would be fast so he sat us.
We watched him tell the manager who proceeded to get visibly angry and yell at the host. Since we didn’t want that negative anger and energy in our food, we left.

It’s just OK. I never seem to get really good service at the bar and the food is OK it’s a little loud and noisy nice to sit outside when it’s not raining.

I have a Unilocal list called «What Happened?» My night that began at Boca Fiesta belongs on this list. And it’s all the $ 4 margaritas’ fault.
These are potent libations. So potent, I can only recall the decent $ 4 corn on a stick (street-​style elote, well seasoned and smokey, with the limey tang but scant on queso fresco), indulgent fried mac and cheese balls ($ 8, vegans rejoice: a vg version is avail), and a cavalcade of assorted tacos.
Which, you ask inquisitively? The gator, tuna and pork, ya Nosey Nellie. Individually, of course, although a combo of those proteins might be interesting… Nope. It’d be disgusting. Guaranteed.
On their own, they played nicely in their unique houses. The three pack of snackos plumped with ahi tuna seared in a sesame crust and topped by a cucumber-​pineapple salsa are light pink and refreshing; the fried gator death rolls itself in chipotle aioli, and the street pork (onions cilantro hot sauce) handily beats the pepper jack covered alternative.
Outdoor seating will showcase live music or a proper 90s buttrock Pandora stream. Because no matter how hipster a place called Mouth Party tried to be, they’ll always succumb to late night Nickleback.

Boca Fiesta is one of those places you want to like more than you actually like. The location, the big open bar, the outside seating, the ambiance, the exotic meats that you have never eaten before, it is all good. I love the owner guy, he is terrific, and so is the chef guy. Oh, and Schylar: love, love, love Schylar to the moon and back.
So, why did I not give it 5 stars?
I have a few minor gripes and one major gripe. Minor gripe, #1: the salsa is really disappointing for a place that works hard to be original and different. The salsa tastes like a sweet supermarket salsa that you purchased in a hurry for a party because you did not have time to make your own, and your party sucked because the salsa sucked, and then the next day your friends re-​evaluated their opinions of you. The salsa is that disappointing. Minor gripe, #2: they pickle EVERYTHING! They pickle their onions, they pickle their peppers, they pickle their hot sauces. They pickle everything! And even when you promise that you will not talk into people’s noses at the bar, they will not bring you raw onions. I promise I will not drive other people away with my breath!
My major gripe is that Boca Fiesta staff can be a little rude to people they feel are not cool enough to sit and eat out on the patio. My husband and I are accepted because we are interracial, Chucky Taylor wearers, who have several tattoos each. We are fringe without being cliché fringe, so we are cool in their eyes! But, if you are a conservative looking parent, or even worse, if you are elderly, they can be absolutely rude, and that is decidedly not cool in my eyes.
So, here is my call to action; find a cute, lonely, elderly person and take them to full bottle mimosa brunch this Sunday at Boca Fiesta! OMG! I forgot to put that under the things I love! Ten dollar full bottle mimosa’s — LOVE!!! But, not as much as we love Schylar.

A night of debauchery, at least in my world, leads to late-​night eats as well. You can justify the poor dietary decisions as a means of «sobering up» or invent another excuse if you like. Boca Fiesta stands tall as a great choice in this context for several reasons, but when weighing this tex-​mex spot fairly against other competitors, the scales reveal some key areas needing improvement.
The Space
With prime real estate right next to the Hippodrome Theatre, Boca Fiesta already has a huge advantage over similar restaurants in town. The main entryway is the one directly facing the theatre, but you can also cut through the pool hall that also happens to be owned by the same group of people. There’s ample outdoor seating, and inside you’ll find a quaint bar, booths, and tables to accommodate hungry patrons. The décor on the inside I find quirky: they’ve got large paintings of saint-​like skeletons on the walls and a section of the inside is devoted to instrument accessories (i.e. drum sticks, drum heads, etc.). Odd but definitely classic Gainesville.
The Service
Here is where our metaphorical scales start shifting a bit. I’ve been to Boca Fiesta for brunch, lunch, dinner, and as a late-​night biter. Over the years the service has continued to remain spotty. The same can be said for the time it takes to get your meal or drink in general. It’s also not uncommon that your table is not tended to for a while, especially if seated outside.
And typically I wind up here with a group of 4 or so, all of us being fans of chips and salsa. Maybe I am being too critical, but I suspect the wait staff must be encouraged to avoid a 2^nd basket for tables. Even when I have ordered guacamole or queso, it feels like you have to flag someone down and ask, sometimes resulting in a reluctant «OK». The place isn’t going to shut down over a few fried triangles of tortilla, so boost the customer service a bit and just eagerly replenish them. Even chain tex-​mex places know this to be the way to happy customers.
The Food
Boca Fiesta’s menu does pretty much all of the heavy lifting in my opinion when it comes to how they measure up. They carry all of the tex-​med essentials like chimichangas, tacos, burritos, etc. with a solid quality. They truly do shine, however, in the variety department.
First off, they carry tempeh and TVP (aka textured vegetable protein) so your vegetarian/​vegan crowd is covered in spades. Stack on top of this rare/​unique proteins like buffalo, kangaroo, and bison and this is where Boca inches into positive territory.
Notable items I’ve had include:
— Chimichanga (B): Huge, rich, and extremely dangerous with queso drizzled on top
— Guacamole (B+): It’s guac, sure, but they bring you the diced avocado and let you mash in the other ingredients to your liking. Love this.
— Nachos (B): If you’re strong enough to resist the free chips, ordering nachos for your meal will be a win. Plenty of them and a nice blend/​amount of toppings.
— Vegan Mac & Cheese (A): Nice amount, incredibly indulgent but really… so very worth sharing
PRO TIP: They stop giving out the free chips and salsa after ~10pm so late-​nighters beware!
Final Thoughts
They have some in-​house sauces that are killer, my favorite of which is the pineapple habanero. Use it sparingly and if you’re in the «I kinda like hot» camp don’t get it. Brunch is also solid here, and it doesn’t draw a crowd like the other, more traditional options in town so you won’t have to wait an hour to get a table. With a just little more hustle and enthusiasm by the servers Boca Fiesta would definitely see more of me.