Easily one of the best Mexican places in Gainesville. A true Gainesville staple. The food, staff, quality, and vibe are all top-tier.

As a Mexican food LOVER, I think this place is great. Everyone is so nice and friendly, food is simple but always amazing (love the free grab salsa packets too). Always come here when visiting town. It is a small/quick service place but so awesome!! read more

For over a decade now, El Indio has been a staple in our dinner rotation and has saved us on many occasions when other plans have gone awry. Between being open later than most other restaurants and having a drive-thru, I love them on so many levels... plus the food is always good! Our favorites are the enchiladas, the tacos, and the taco salad. Everyone has their order memorized and customized now, lol, so it makes ordering easy. And you can't forget the cheese dip, it goes on everything! read more

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I was near the plaza in the area, and smelled something delicious from afar. I turned and there was a new restaurant I hadn't tried called El Indio. I had some quick errands and an appointment to go to, and just wanted to try their fries. Mannnn when I tell you the fries were good and fresh!!! I went thru the drive thru and the food aroma was rich! There were fry choses for the Small or Large and I chose the large. The service was great, and I will return to try an entree from their menu. read more

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Service was fine, it's pretty much the same type of service I would expect from a Fast Food restaurant. Place your order, they call your number, you eat. I got the Fajita Burrito with Chicken. It wasn't that great and unraveled as soon as I picked it up. Not worth $15 at all. I feel like I would get more value at any other Mexican restaurant It just didn't taste right.. the flavor was lacking and I kept getting a taste of play-dough. I used to grow up across the street eating here. I think I will leave this place with my childhood. read more

El Indio Real Mexican Food - Fajita Burrito - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

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NW 34th St. El Indio, here I go.... 1. Parkind and surroundings: plenty, lots of parking space available. Drive thru window for ordering and pick up. 2. Seating and ambiance: This is a very simple and practical place, no fancy decor or tables, just simple in and out. 3. Service is ok at the counter, they call your number or bring your food at the table, but no table service. 4. Food: I ordered three beef tacos, hard shell, and a drink. The tacos are small. The beef is placed at the bottom followed by guacamole and cheese on top. So here's the verdict... I could taste the beef as it had a mild seasoning, but very dry small pieces don't let you enjoy the meal, the cheese was placed on top as it seemed taken cold out of the fridge, and made into a lump not sprinkled on top. I had eaten here before, but the quality has changed drastically, and it's pricey. I have to give it a 1 on the scale. There's a lot to improve. In my personal scale from 1 to 10... doesn't make the list. read more

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This little hidden gem is amazing!! There are two locations in gainesville. We got some takeout from the 34 Street location. Line moved very fast through the drive thru, Even with it being dinner time. Everything is reasonably priced there. The staff were very friendly and helpful.When we ordered at the order window, We then had to drive around to the other side of the building, to pick up our food at the pick up window, and they were just as friendly. We don't live far from there, so the food was still nice and hot when we got home very tasty. My wife got a chocolate malt.That was so thick as you can see in the photo. If you're looking for authentic mexican food and don't want to sit in a restaurant and want to take it and just go home.This is the place for you.!!!The other location is located on 13th street.By the university of florida. But I can only speak on the service. And food from this location. They have recently painted the outside of the building, bringing a really cool artistic vibe to the atmosphere of the restaurant. read more

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We were planning on going to Sandy's Place for lunch, but they were closed and we hit up El Indio instead. Service was fast and friendly. Unfortunately my husband's chicken tacos had hardly any filling and were oddly wet. My chicken burrito was a decent size, however the chicken was completely dried out, and the cheese had the consistency of cottage cheese. Not sure what they used. We ended up throwing most of it away. A waste of $25. We'll stick with 352 Tacos instead. read more

I've been a customer since El Indio replaced the more traditional ice cream and burgers shop many years ago-'90s?. I regularly buy combo #7, enchilados and burrito, but sometimes get a taco on the comboAll of the items on those orders, enchiladas, burritos and tacos consistently please me. I suppose there are minor differences in individual orders, but the consistent tasty quality keeps me coming back. good sauces, too, and friendly young servers. After replacing the ice cream shop, they continued to serve delicious soft serve milk shakes which are superior. I think they must use better quality ingredients- ice cream mix or chocolate- because what looks like a normal shake has more flavor and palatability. read more

Ordered takeout online for the first time and was honestly disappointed. We ordered ahead of time and order was not even ready on time. The fajitas platter no seasoning and the steak was overcooked couldn't even eat it. Chicken taquito was okay.Honestly the only thing that was good were the beef taquitos. Most likely will not be coming back to this location I think the one on 13th is much better quality. read more

Food tacos 5 ground beef meat was cold the rice and red beans were with the combo was puréed black beans no beans included and when the least expensive item in a Mexican or Latin restaurant are the beans and rice then put some in the foil container to go.I have been in this industry for over 37 years.I would welcome a conversation with the owners,You have had a very good business for many years but this evening was among the worst take out from your location on 34Th that I have ever experienced.Service was great food was not . read more

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Food and service were amazing! I go here all the time and always leave happy. Would recommend to any one who likes eating. Clean and friendly 10/10 read more

Vegi burrito, vegi quesadilla, fries, with their home made red salsa, vanilla chocolate swirl ice cream, these are always good to get.

Man, remember in the 90's, this place was so good. Got 3 ground beef soft tacos last night. They were good size, beef, pico, cheese, lettuce, onion, fresh cilantro. But that beef. Do they source it from dairy cows? Is it a mix of beef and goat/lamb? The foul taste permeated the entire taco. Zero cumin, chili, or any Mexican taco type spices that would indicate that you're eating Mexican food. The pico had no flavor, no lime, no cilantro, no saltiness, just stewed diced tomato. The lettuce was fresh enough, but it's iceberg, it's not bringing anything the party but a fresh crunch, so it did its job, but everything else had no flavor, and that beef, just plain foul. I hate one of the three loads of the tomatillo salsa to get it down and impart some Mexican flavor. Took a bite of the second, but couldn't go any further. My wife got the shredded chicken bowl, the portion was good, but again, even with her chicken, no Mexican flavor, just a bowl of stuff. She too had to add loads of their el pastor salsa to add some sibilance of Mexican flavors. So disappointed, $35 dollars and threw half away. Their big hit, 10/10 on their queso and chips. The queso was on point, warm, a little runny, they add a bit too much water to stretch the product I suspect, but had decent Mexican queso flavor. And the chips, it seemed, were right out of the frier, so those were good. This has been the last several times, we've been not so happy, thinking each time it was a fluke. My last burrito was all tortilla, maybe a teaspoon of steak, and again, no Mexican flavor, just a floury tube of organic matter. The staff is great, helpful, cheerful, always in good spirits and eager to serve, unlike every fast food joint anywhere, where 35 year olds are still working at these places, angry, lazy, and perturbed that you're their asking them for things they know nothing about, nor care to lift a finger, clean, serve, smile, talk, or help in anyway. So kudos to el Indio on their amazing staff that have and show human emotion. read more

Haven't been hear in about 6 years. It says famous tacos on the menu. Ordered two chicken soft tacos with red sauce. They forgot the red sauce which I went back and got. Same old same old. Chicken tacos had the same boring cat food unseasoned chicken and zero flavor. The workers are all under 16 years old and busy on their phones. Probably won't go back ! read more

What a delightful fun place. We all got something different and it was all good. The food was piping hot with fresh ingredients. We went on cinco de Mayo after the UF graduation!!! One of the orders was vegan, and originally it was done incorrectly, and they were so nice and just redid the whole meal without a fuss at all. It's a super fun atmosphere. I will absolutely go again when I'm in Gainesville. read more

I live and work near El Indio. I would be the ideal customer since I drive past it during breakfast lunch and dinner. However I just can't bring myself to eat their food anymore. The food doesn't seem to be fresh, sometimes my lettuce will be wilted, or meat will be dry, there's just always something of about the quality. The building itself is a bit run down, and don't you dare go through the drive through with your window down, the smell is terrible from the back of the restaurant. The last straw for me was finding multiple hairs in my food. One hair is an accident, two is poor cleanliness in the kitchen. In the past I have had friends find live roaches in the dinning room and experience stomach issues following their meal. I wouldn't recommend this place. *I have called the location and explained the hair issue. I was told they would refund me for the meal. It's been 5 days and I have yet to get a refund. read more

El Indio Real Mexican Food - Hair in my chicken taquitos - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

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Finally!! After 8 years of living in Gainesville I have finally tried this place and it did NOT disappoint!! Omg why has it taken me so long to try it! I had the street style tacos-carne asada with beans and rice! OMG so freaking amazing! Husband has been so many times and would brag about it and I always pass by the one on 13th street and the drive thru is always busy! So hooked, will be back, definitely want to try other things on the menu! Go here first for Mexican before trying other places-highly recommend!!! read more

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I recently visited this place as my son recommended it highly. I wanted to come by and support a local business through these tough times. All I can say is OH MY GOODNESS!! okay, so I can say more. First, this place has some of the friendliest workers in town. In most places, I have visited recently the staff has grumbled and complained about having to work but not here you are greeted with a smile. They are very helpful too in answering questions about the food. When we finally decided on food my husband got the steak burrito bowl, I got chicken tacos and my mom got a good old fashion burger. We also purchased chips with cheese. Oh, my word the food was so good. It came out hot, fresh, and quickly considering the long line at the drive-through. The portions were perfection and the price on point. I liked you have the option to get it to go or eat there. They have outside seating which is wonderful. Note if you have children this place may not be for you as they do not offer children meals. When I ordered a child's meal they charged me for an adult meal and gave me a large meal for a 4-year-old. So unless your child eats a big meal this is not for small eaters or I suggest ordering your meal and sharing with your child. I have to say as someone who makes a living off reviewing restaurants and food this place is by far one of my favorite places they out cook and out serve some of the higher-priced places I have visited. I truly can not wait to get back t try another dish. read more

Great place to eat. Very good selections. Fast and good. Great staff. Always good. Street tacos very good.

I wanted to like this place because it's close to my house. The food here was disgusting and a waste of $40 dollars. My husband and I got fajitas platers. I got chicken and he got steak. Steak was very dry and the chicken just tasted gross and smelled weird. I was worried it was old, I took one bite and threw the rest away because I didn't want to get sick. When I opened the foil that contained my tortillas, something that was hard and black was on was on them. So needless to say I threw those in the trash. Not wanting to eat something that has some mystery hard black stuff on them. With really no hope left for this place I opened the container that had the salsa, beans, rice, lettuce and one thin line of guacamole less then half an inch big (I was looking forward to hopefully some yummy guacamole) and was disappointed there was hardly anything there. The lettuce was brown, the rice was flavorless. The whole meal was very disgusting. I threw it all away, wasted $40 and made myself a ham and cheese to eat instead. If you want good Mexican food please go to Las Margaritas it is so very very delicious and I should not have tried somewhere else. Also I tipped $5 dollars at the drive-threw and when I asked for forks to go with my food the guy literally rolled his eyes at me. He was mad at me because I was asking for something to eat my food with??? Really??? Ok that's fine. Keep all your forks I'm never coming back. read more

If you're vegan you can still enjoy El Indio Real Mexican Food. I love Taco Tuesdays when I get a great deal on 3 tempeh tacos with no dairy...and it is still delicious without cheese or sour cream! Their fries are good, too, though I try not to get those every time. Lol read more

Stopped in for lunch on a work trip. I had the fajitas plater. Everything was made fresh and came out quickly. read more

El Indio Real Mexican Food - Fajitas - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

So went to El Indio the other night to pick up some food before going over to a friend's house. I hadn't been in a while, and this time around I used their drive-thru (first time for that... I have always walked in before). The drive-thru process is pretty easy, and it is nice that you don't mess around with the squawk box or anything like that... you speak to a human being right in front of you to make your order, pay for it, and then drive around to pick it up. For some reason, whenever I use a drive-thru I get stuck behind someone that insists on ordering the entire menu with changes, making the wait somewhat insane. Not the stores fault, mind you... it just happens. I found the workers to be friendly and helpful in their knowledge of the menu, the prices reasonable, and the food tasty. I will certainly be going back again. read more

A few weeks ago I went by the 34th street el Indio to get food for my dad and I got home with tacos that were cold all the way through...they must have pulled out of freezer and put in a bag.....way to expensive for what you get....milkshake was nasty...chipotle or Taco Bell are way better.... read more

All in all el Indio is good but not great. I personally like this location on 34th over the 13th st because they have indoor and outdoor seating. The services is always friendly and surprisingly fast. The food always tastes good. Whether you get a burrito or fajita everything on their menu is a safe bet for anyone in your group. My go to is the burrito because it's fast and typically easy to eat. But my all time favorite is their steak nachos! Now the nachos are for when you have time to really sit and eat because it's big and messy! Grab yourself a comfy seat a big ole soda and a ton of napkins and just go to town on those nachos!! read more

El Indio Real Mexican Food - A to go burrito - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

The food was bland. The service was good, fast and friendly. The place itself was fine, nothing fancy. Nice to sit down and talk.

I went the other night looking for a quick meal. It's always been good in the past. This time it was not as expected. I ordered 3 hard tacos. I got more onions than meat. I've never had onions before. Not a fan. I didn't get any lettuce or cheese. I had even recommended this place to a friend who was looking for a quick dinner. She had the same complaint. I live practically across the street but it will be hard to go back after this disappointing meal. read more

Recently (3/22/20) I went and got to try El Indo. I have seen their pictures and since we are in the middle of a pandemic I knew I wanted to try this place out and show a local business some love. I decided to go through the drive thru and pick up some delicious Mexican food. I arrived at the location and noticed they have multiple places to place your order which I found very nice. They have the board that shows the menu and it is a little overwhelming, but I had the general since of what I wanted to order. I ended up ordering lunch for myself and friend and we got a burrito, 2 chicken tacos, the ahimichanga meal, and 3 cheese enchilada's. The enchilada's were my absolute favorite. They were on corn tortillas and stuffed in the middle with cheese and topped with lots of creamy tasty cheese as well. They were prefect and we both really enjoyed them. The Chimichanga was okay, it was a little dry but I think it was because of the chicken inside. But the Chimicanga was big and tasted great! The meal came with black beans and rice and it had pico and sour cream on the side. It was very tasty. The tacos were very good as well. They again were a little dry and I think it was because of the chicken, but overall they tasted great. I would for sure recommend that you try out El Indo. It is located on 13th Ave and it is across the street from Krispy Kreme. Because of everything going on they are doing drive thru service and they deliver with Grub Hub and Door Dash. Try this place out and support local! read more

Awesome. Really good food well prepared and authentic. I recommend everybody to visit and enjoy.

I always love the number 3 chicken burrito combo but I ordered this last night and got beef instead. It wasn't what I was used to, was a bit small and fell apart a little. First time having this kind of issue from here though, and it was still good. Just not what I ordered. Very good cuisine though all around and they aren't skimpy on the drinks either. read more

Chicken taco salad should be renamed to chicken less taco salad cold and not tasty the bowl was wet from the water on the lettuce no pics de gallon or ant red sauce gave you some pink sauce I don't know about the one on 13 but if you go by the 34 my opinion is for you to keep on driving not worth the money read more

El Indio is a great option for quick, yummy Mexican food in Gainesville. The quality of the food is excellent, especially for the price. I got the chicken enchiladas, which had great flavor and were super cheesy. My fiancé got the new fajita burrito with steak, and while it tasted good there was barely any meat in the burrito. The menu is expansive and has lots of great options, and the restaurant is very clean. The wait for the drive through is pretty long, but that's because all the food is prepared fresh. I enjoyed their outside seating, and recommend this location over the one on 13th. Definitely check it out if you're looking for a Mexican restaurant in Gainesville! read more

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When my buddy said "hey you want to go get some cheap Mexican food" I of course said ah yeah! I had never been to El Indio, but it was pretty good for inexpensive Mexican food. I ordered the vegetarian burrito and enchilada and it was pretty good and was a lot of food. Especially for 8 dollars. The Good: fast service, inexpensive food, and better than expected quality. The Bad: its a drive through kind of place and the seating is not comfortable. Not too bad really. The Ugly: nothing really ugly here. The people are pretty nice, good better than expected, and cheap. To sum it up. The food was pretty good, people nice, price cheap, good quantity of food. Great lunch with my buddy. read more

El Indio Real Mexican Food - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

Consistently good, quick food. Reasonably priced and enough food I eat light rest of the day. The malts are super delicious if you like milkshakes a malt is similar with malt powder added the "Whoppers" candies flavor. The staff always smiling and super nice and around great spot for quick meal. The vegetables and chips are fresh as well. When driving by it's always a good place to stop. read more

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I always love the number 3 chicken burrito combo but I ordered this last night and got beef instead. It wasn't what I was used to, was a bit small and fell apart a little. First time having this kind of issue from here though, and it was still good. Just not what I ordered... hoping next time I go I can mention it and get a discount at least. read more

Yay! This is the first time we have been here during the pandemic when the staff have all been wearing masks! We love the place and will be back frequently again! Thank you, El Indio!!! read more

Similarly to the 13th location El Indio is my spot for cheap, good, Mexican food to go. Their 34th St location is slightly bigger and it looked like their was seating inside in addition to outside. I still went through the drive through because it's quick. Their food is fresh, delicious, and a value. Their green salsa is the best. I like to order their combos because you get a punch card with the 10th purchase for free! I also like their carnitas combo and even their cheeseburger! Overall this place is worth it for the quality and quantity. read more

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Really just to counter the 1 stars. Go here once a month. Try different things, always tastes good and fresh. Staff is always nice, usually go through the drive through, no issues. It's not fine dining, it's a solid local joint that serves up some quality food, five stars because I'll go again. These people who review these things as 1 star can go kick rocks. If their palettes are so special and standards are so high that they embellish to make their story more dramatic, they should stay home and cook their usual milquetoast meals. Keep it up El Indio staff, chow is delicious. read more

Think of El Indio as Mexican fast food. Its quick soul food to fill your belly and please your palate so you can get through the rest of your day. It's surely not fancy but very wholesome. There are a few tables both indoor and outdoor but seating is spartan at best. The drive through never stops at lunchtime. I've been dropping in here for years. The food is always good and there are never any crazy changes to the menu. I can also order anything I want and customize it anyway I want to. No complaints or BS - just done the way I ask for. Their salsa is the best in North Florida. No BS, it really is. I could sit here and bore you with how the salt/tomatillo/cilantro blend in a perfect mix of harmony but you really need to try it yourself. I could inject it by IV its so good. They also have ice cream. Not important for me but might be for you. Its simple Mexican food made with some heart. Stop in and give it a chance. Make sure you grad a few salsa cups from the end of the counter to accompany your dish. read more