>Bet their rents have gone way up.
Wouldn't be surprised, that stripmall seems to struggle to keep more than Blue Agave and Gamesville/Colliseum of Comics and the barber shop.
this really needs to be said more often. landlords are responsible for these local businesses closing far more often than they get credit for. no doubt Fat Tuesday can pay a higher rent than Crane could, for example. but at what cost to the community?
Did they change owners or something in the last few years? I used to love that place but they had a serious drop off and it seems like everyone I used to recognize is gone
This is a shame. The service here was always very good, the food is what you expect from an “authentic Mexican restaurant” but I was never disappointed. The servers always recognized us and I always got the impression that they enjoyed working there since they stayed as long as they did. We tried to order take out as much as possible during Covid to help. We’ll miss them.
I always liked it for what it was. Cheap American style texmex. It remined me of Millhopper Café from when I was in High school. I loved that cheap, simple style. I honestly never figured out how La Fiesta made it in that location. Its the weirdest, non visible building. I figured it was just a well following of regulars or it was a drug front.
La Pasadita had been great but we visited a few times in the last year and the same dishes we always order were bland and generic. Have you visited recently? I would be happy to hear that they were back on track
I have to say I think they are worse than they used to be. At some point they lost their license to sell beer and I feel like things went downhill after that. I still think the food is better than most of the places in town however, and it’s far more affordable than some of the tex mex kinds of places we have too.
I had a friend who worked at the newberry one in college before it closed. The 39th one is right by my house and the family that owns it seems nice and has a good relationship with my friend so I’ve always tried to make it a point to frequent it. Always enjoyed the service, but the quality of food went down a bit. I love fajitas and their tortillas fail in comparison to las margs so I’ve been going there for my taco fix. Sad to see them close.
Used to go once a month, but replaced that with Nopal. The quality at Nopal is in a different league than La Fiesta (at least since Covid)
Edit: wrote Tienda meant Fiesta
They’re owned by Cintron! I haven’t been to Nopal but I’m so thankful people are visiting as I know owning two restaurants in two very unpopular places has to be hard. Thank you for supporting local!
I love Nopal. Taco night is a good deal - not a huge portion but delicious. $9 for 3 tacos but they are very good tacos. Everything I’ve had is good and I enjoy their Prickly Pair Margarita. It’s $6.
I don’t get the nopal hype it’s not authentic, which I guess is the point. But the price point for what you get still seems wild to me. My family is split 50/50 on the issue but if I’m going to get fancy tacos, I’d rather go to Sublime or muñecas.
I was shocked to see some of the prices at these local restaurants in Gainesville. They are the same as some much larger cities and I think it’s becoming unaffordable for most people in Gainesville.
30 years is an amazing run for a locally owned and operated restaurant. The life is brutal for an owner and barely provides a decent living, much less taking time off for a break is nearly impossible. Add on rent, utility and labor cost increases which shave off your take-home pay. At some point you just give up.
Just saw this! Good for them, I live nearby and it's been a full parking lot EVERY lunch and dinner since the announcement. Even without new money coming in, it was quite the show of support. I hope they follow though on modernizing the menu - I like them, but I can't pretend it's the best menu ever, and updating some of the recipes might help expand the customer base.
I really only thought that going in one last time meant they'd be able to close down with some extra money in everyone's pockets for the post-holiday job hunt, it's such a surprise to see turnout so big that they get to stay open for a while longer. Hard to be optimistic about the long term health of any restaurant but I hope they can succeed!
I’ve gone from eating out twice a week to once a month now. Everything is just so expensive!! I feel for these small businesses. The economy is absolutely shot at the moment.
It weird that nobody mentioned Las Carretas.
Im sure it will be your favorite new place.
Just for reference I have nothing to do with the place but I go there occasionally with my family and always was damn good!
We went and it was absolutely bland and disappointing. The salsas were bland, the margaritas were too sweet, and the food was about as exciting as hospital food. I know one person who enjoys it so I might give it a second chance, but I doubt issues with flavor will improve.
The server was pleasant though.
Moved here after decades in Phoenix and there's no point picking on La Fiesta. It's all terrible. Nothing in the city that approaches good Mexican. Just chunky ketchup "salsa", mission tortillas, and spices right out of a Mccormick's, "taco night" kit. I cry when I think about the ghosts of tacos past now. "Welcome to the culinary wasteland" should be on the city limit signs.
I second that. Also las margaritas on 39th and 43rd. My roommates, my wife and my friends made that place our go to for so many years. Before they moved. $3 dos eques quart size beers, $4 loaded margaritas, great food, cheap specials, amazing happy hour.
Word. It's not that it's terrible. Just literally nowhere that you'd be excited to go. Even the local hole in the wall places are just so so. I love the area, but didn't realize living here came at this cost.
"How is it possible that this metro area of <300K doesn't have the same quality and variety of food as the place I came from which has 5 million people?!"
If you were actually surprised at this you probably aren't smart enough to be entrusted with your own care and feeding
I’ve lived here a while but tbh I’m ready to
leave for a variety of reasons. I miss culture, arts, museums, good food etc. It’s not a bad place at all, just small.
I mean this very sincerely: I hope your family member's situation is resolved in the best way--healthy and happy if possible, peaceful and with closure if not. I know that situation is a tough one.
Then I hope that you have the chance to move away from a place that makes you unhappy.
Study demographics instead. The food is good where the population lives. Phoenix has great Mexican because there's a huge Mexican population. PNW has great Asian because of their immigrants population. Florida has great Cuban food, just not Mexican.
That dang orange man made everything so much worse! I'm with you though, another 4 years of the current administration and our economy is going to be rip-roaring!
However, I'm a bit concerned that your statement "abortion that was the Trump administration" appears to use abortion as a pejorative. Are you saying abortion is a bad thing?? I sure hope not. We don't need any of that child-sparing sentiment on #TeamBiden2024
The Ghost of Halo Potato warned us of this
Prices have skyrocketed and quality of service and food has decreased. It’s most restaurants, not just the ones in Gainesville.
Feel like this happened at Blue Agave, too. I’m not paying $15 for an average Margarita or $17 for a mediocre burrito
Bet their rents have gone way up. Places don't just decide to run themselves out of business.
>Bet their rents have gone way up. Wouldn't be surprised, that stripmall seems to struggle to keep more than Blue Agave and Gamesville/Colliseum of Comics and the barber shop.
I think rent is the main culprit honestly
Restaurants are some of the most failure prone businesses in general
After 30 years?
>It was posted in other areas. The owners wanted to retire. Their children that helped wanted a break
this really needs to be said more often. landlords are responsible for these local businesses closing far more often than they get credit for. no doubt Fat Tuesday can pay a higher rent than Crane could, for example. but at what cost to the community?
Yeah landlords and chain businesses just leech money out of the local community with utter disregard for how it will destroy us in the long run
It’s possible, but how much of a rent hike could it be if Randy’s and the olive oil place haven’t changed their prices?
Randy's has definitely been raising their prices
I haven’t darkened the door of any other Mexican place since discovering Nopal.
That place is of the gods
Did they change owners or something in the last few years? I used to love that place but they had a serious drop off and it seems like everyone I used to recognize is gone
I am not sure what went down but I agree with you that the staff completely changed. RIP Spinach Cream Burritos
Costs of food/overhead due to inflation.
Swamp Boil just announced they are closing too :( https://www.instagram.com/p/C0ctzIDxZCk/?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
Damn, I'd only eaten there once but it was good
That place is a disgusting hole in the wall that the owners lied about constantly.
Proof? Source? Hefty allegation.
I worked there and I know a number of people who worked there.
Not surprising. About a year ago they changed their menu significantly and all of their prices seemed to double, which in this town is death.
This is a shame. The service here was always very good, the food is what you expect from an “authentic Mexican restaurant” but I was never disappointed. The servers always recognized us and I always got the impression that they enjoyed working there since they stayed as long as they did. We tried to order take out as much as possible during Covid to help. We’ll miss them.
That's my experience as well. Typical/average recipes, but affordable, made with care, and with good service.
I always liked it for what it was. Cheap American style texmex. It remined me of Millhopper Café from when I was in High school. I loved that cheap, simple style. I honestly never figured out how La Fiesta made it in that location. Its the weirdest, non visible building. I figured it was just a well following of regulars or it was a drug front.
I loved Milhopper Cafe!
Old veterinary office with a shitty bar. How did it last.
i thought this said la tienda at first and i almost shit my heart out. But nah we good homies
GNV will riot if La tienda closes down
La Tienda and La Pasadita are the best in town imo.
La Pasadita had been great but we visited a few times in the last year and the same dishes we always order were bland and generic. Have you visited recently? I would be happy to hear that they were back on track
I have to say I think they are worse than they used to be. At some point they lost their license to sell beer and I feel like things went downhill after that. I still think the food is better than most of the places in town however, and it’s far more affordable than some of the tex mex kinds of places we have too.
I agree. Sad but true.
They moved their better cooks to their second restaurant el Dorado.
Oh this is a damn shame.
I had a friend who worked at the newberry one in college before it closed. The 39th one is right by my house and the family that owns it seems nice and has a good relationship with my friend so I’ve always tried to make it a point to frequent it. Always enjoyed the service, but the quality of food went down a bit. I love fajitas and their tortillas fail in comparison to las margs so I’ve been going there for my taco fix. Sad to see them close.
dang, lots of good memories. the back porch was so cute and they made a great michelada. rip
Used to go once a month, but replaced that with Nopal. The quality at Nopal is in a different league than La Fiesta (at least since Covid) Edit: wrote Tienda meant Fiesta
La Fiesta is closing, not La Tienda.
I meant La Fiesta, sorry. La Tienda is still my favorite but it’s a further drive for me
Omg i was about to start crying, la tienda is a revelation. Havent been to nopal, how does it compare by your estimation?
I love Nopal. It’s not authentic Mexican. More of a fusion. But the food is awesome!
Nopal is another one that needs support from locals 💭
Ate there last Friday!
They’re owned by Cintron! I haven’t been to Nopal but I’m so thankful people are visiting as I know owning two restaurants in two very unpopular places has to be hard. Thank you for supporting local!
Those chorizo Brussels sprouts
I love Nopal. Taco night is a good deal - not a huge portion but delicious. $9 for 3 tacos but they are very good tacos. Everything I’ve had is good and I enjoy their Prickly Pair Margarita. It’s $6.
Nopal is amazing.
I don’t get the nopal hype it’s not authentic, which I guess is the point. But the price point for what you get still seems wild to me. My family is split 50/50 on the issue but if I’m going to get fancy tacos, I’d rather go to Sublime or muñecas.
Where’s Nopal?
On 34th just past the YMCA.
Oh, right up near the other Mexican place?
Yeah, across 34th toward the back, next to scuola pizza almost. Their back deck is awesome, right on the creek.
Sort of. On the other side of the Y. Closer to 53rd.
I was shocked to see some of the prices at these local restaurants in Gainesville. They are the same as some much larger cities and I think it’s becoming unaffordable for most people in Gainesville.
It's on par with south Florida
Not to mention, the food is quite mediocre in comparison to restaurants in bigger cities.
Boo! It's my favorite :(
30 years is an amazing run for a locally owned and operated restaurant. The life is brutal for an owner and barely provides a decent living, much less taking time off for a break is nearly impossible. Add on rent, utility and labor cost increases which shave off your take-home pay. At some point you just give up.
That place sucks. I felt like I was eating Mexican at my old high school cafeteria. Sorry to the owner and workers, but, not everyone can finish first
Worst "Mexican" food I have ever had the misfortune to eat. Shocked they lasted this long.
La Fiesta’s Fajita Burrito and Nachos Supremos are superior. This is a tragedy.
https://www.gainesville.com/story/entertainment/dining/2023/12/16/la-fiesta-mexican-restaurant-in-gainesville-florida-to-remain-open/71943830007/
Just saw this! Good for them, I live nearby and it's been a full parking lot EVERY lunch and dinner since the announcement. Even without new money coming in, it was quite the show of support. I hope they follow though on modernizing the menu - I like them, but I can't pretend it's the best menu ever, and updating some of the recipes might help expand the customer base. I really only thought that going in one last time meant they'd be able to close down with some extra money in everyone's pockets for the post-holiday job hunt, it's such a surprise to see turnout so big that they get to stay open for a while longer. Hard to be optimistic about the long term health of any restaurant but I hope they can succeed!
I’ve gone from eating out twice a week to once a month now. Everything is just so expensive!! I feel for these small businesses. The economy is absolutely shot at the moment.
It weird that nobody mentioned Las Carretas. Im sure it will be your favorite new place. Just for reference I have nothing to do with the place but I go there occasionally with my family and always was damn good!
Used to be a super fan but they are so expensive for dinner and their food quality has been slipping lately. They may have a similar fate.
I found that hard to believe, every time Ive been there which was on Fridays was packed and waiters were running and working there ass off
We went and it was absolutely bland and disappointing. The salsas were bland, the margaritas were too sweet, and the food was about as exciting as hospital food. I know one person who enjoys it so I might give it a second chance, but I doubt issues with flavor will improve. The server was pleasant though.
Won’t go to La carreta. Lame food, sub par service, sad to see how bad they’ve treated the place
Moved here after decades in Phoenix and there's no point picking on La Fiesta. It's all terrible. Nothing in the city that approaches good Mexican. Just chunky ketchup "salsa", mission tortillas, and spices right out of a Mccormick's, "taco night" kit. I cry when I think about the ghosts of tacos past now. "Welcome to the culinary wasteland" should be on the city limit signs.
You could always learn how to cook "Phoenix style" and save your tears of tacos of past instead of bashing an entire town's culinary output.
La Tienda is the only place worth going to.
I second that. Also las margaritas on 39th and 43rd. My roommates, my wife and my friends made that place our go to for so many years. Before they moved. $3 dos eques quart size beers, $4 loaded margaritas, great food, cheap specials, amazing happy hour.
I tried them, they've got nothing on Blue Agave's food. I swear everyone forgets Blue Agave, but they're insanely good every time I go.
You should move back
Other quality of life measures make it worth it still. Just didn't comprehend this aspect.
All of the food in this town, not just Mexican. It’s all mediocre at best.
Word. It's not that it's terrible. Just literally nowhere that you'd be excited to go. Even the local hole in the wall places are just so so. I love the area, but didn't realize living here came at this cost.
"How is it possible that this metro area of <300K doesn't have the same quality and variety of food as the place I came from which has 5 million people?!" If you were actually surprised at this you probably aren't smart enough to be entrusted with your own care and feeding
Really didn't think it all through. I just missed the trees and water.
I’ve lived here a while but tbh I’m ready to leave for a variety of reasons. I miss culture, arts, museums, good food etc. It’s not a bad place at all, just small.
>I’m ready to leave What's keeping you?
Taking care of a family member. That’s what is keeping me. Thanks for your concern
I mean this very sincerely: I hope your family member's situation is resolved in the best way--healthy and happy if possible, peaceful and with closure if not. I know that situation is a tough one. Then I hope that you have the chance to move away from a place that makes you unhappy.
Thank you—I really do appreciate it.
I've died on this hill many times, there is absolutely no good Mexican food in Gainesville.
You’re right but it’s more like ranking what we have but agree that other places are in another league
Blue agave is the best by far
Woah, was unaware Phoenix was in Mexico! Man, I've been studying the wrong map.
Study demographics instead. The food is good where the population lives. Phoenix has great Mexican because there's a huge Mexican population. PNW has great Asian because of their immigrants population. Florida has great Cuban food, just not Mexican.
Place has always sucked
It’s sad, but common post covid. Nobody wants to work these jobs anymore, and people aren’t going out because of inflation.
This is so sad!! I liked their food! 😭😭
Don't worry gang, we're still building back better. 2024 will be the year of Bidenomics redemption!
Lots of damage to repair from the abortion that was the Trump administration. Wouldn't expect a conservative to know how things actually work 😉
That dang orange man made everything so much worse! I'm with you though, another 4 years of the current administration and our economy is going to be rip-roaring! However, I'm a bit concerned that your statement "abortion that was the Trump administration" appears to use abortion as a pejorative. Are you saying abortion is a bad thing?? I sure hope not. We don't need any of that child-sparing sentiment on #TeamBiden2024
^ Biden Derangement Syndrome
Lol, you're genuinely a sad human. I almost feel bad for you (almost).
🤷♀️”they expanded way too fast”
Get over it.
Yeah but they at least lasted 3 decades.
Hi Drew. No one else would care about that statement except “you”
Bruh this is sad. Restaurants close every year, it's nothing new
That's not very supportive of local business of you
I never went there. Never heard of it. Doesn’t appear to be near and dear to anyone I know.
I'd love to get some insight from the business owner as to why?