Flaco's Cuban Bakery has the best Cuban Sandwich in Gainesville hands down. This place in my opinion is the best. I have been here only a couple times, but each time I keep wanting more and more. Flaco's is located in mid-town so as long as you are okay going around all the college students (they don't bite) then this is a great place to get a great sandwich. Also their Cuban Coffee has a ton of flavor and is really tasty. I am not a huge coffee drinker, but I can drink their coffee with a lot of ease. I have had a few friends order their burrito and they look good, but I have not tried them myself. Only down side is that a lot of times when UF is not in session they are closed. It stinks that when the kids are all away others can't come and enjoy their great food. I can't wait though to go back and try more great food! read more

Always been a fan. I would go there for lunch when I worked downtown but alas, our office moved away and away from delicious cuban sandwiches and good cordiditos. My favs include the cuban sandwich and the combo bowl (ropa vieja and pork with mojo served on top of lentils and rice !!!). Definitely enough for two. I haven't been in a while but I was mostly served by the usual guys there, who are always nice to me. Only qualms I have are odd hours -- sometimes I'd make the trip downtown to get me some Flacos to find out they are closed :( Also their sweet pastries are good. Ordered the empanadas once and never did again.. save your money and get something better like a cheese pastry! read more

After a night out drinking, this is a great place for a late night food craving. Media noche? Yes please! The Malta is a pretty nice non-alcoholic drink that tastes like sugar cane. You can get this if you got in too late and they stopped serving beer. Oh, and do yourself a favor and grab a guava and cheese pastry! read more

The sandwiches vegan and meat both great. The burrito bar in the back is actually something new they added but it is really good and the sauces are really good. Its cash only back there so something to be aware of. The pastries especially the guava ones are really good. read more

Delicious food, great location. Entertainment throughout the evening. Highly recommended!

The chicken taco was excellent. The picadillo burrito was ok, mostly beans and rice and not much picadillo flavor. The burrito seemed like it had been sitting a while too. read more

Quesito was so good, we ordered another. SO MUCH BETTER THAN MI APA. Collada was strong, but good. All pastries were tasty. We also took home a couple of sandwiches that were good, although a little soggy. Service could be faster, but employees were pleasant and helpful. read more

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Hometown favorite. Love the gator Cuban, extra pickles. The meat is always on point. Delicious

Why did Flacos have to leave mid town?! This was my favorite spot and now having to go to the down town location is a bummer! I love their black bean tacos with avocado crema. And I can never leave without getting a guava and cheese pastry. But the real vegetarian star is the sunshine sandwich! I would never think to put all of those ingredients into a sandwich but they know what they are doing. This is a true gem of a spot. read more

Yum! Visited Gainesville and tried Flacos on our daughters recommendation. Delicious pork arepa! The corn was so sweet and the pork was tender. Nice outdoor seating area. read more

Okay I've only been here past 1 am (you know what it is) BUT there is no better way to end my night out then an angelic Flaco's panini to soak up all of my endeavors. Oh my goodness it is so good, the pickles are SO KEY. I can't say much more than that as of now but I plan to take a pre midnight trip very soon and will have more updates to come... read more

My first time eating here after hearing all the hype from my friends and I was not disappointed. It's a cool spot when you're feeling the munchies and it's convenient since they have one location in downtown and the other in midtown. It's different from most munchies spots because they have a sit down area and a taco area in the back. It's cash only for tacos though I had the Scarface sandwich, super delicious and they're very accommodating if you have special requests for your meal like no onions or if you don't want a certain sauce on it. I also had the cheese and cream filled pastry and it was so good I had to have 3. I recommend coming in by 10/11 before the rush from those who were out partying. read more

From Miami and I when I get homesick I come here :) I recommend to whoever wants Hispanic food.

I got the media noche (Cuban sandwich with sweet bread) and it was okay (not amazing). I wish it had more mustard and pickles. It got a bit bland so I ate it with sriracha sauce. Overall, I don't think the sandwich was out of this world but it was definitely very filling. Flaco's is still a pretty good spot if you want to get full at a reasonable price. it's open pretty late and they have a wide selection of Cuban menu items. I would come back to try some of their desserts and maybe their other menu items, but I don't think I would get the sandwich again. read more

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So good. Great local place and great options. Try the ropa vieja and the Cuban coffee. read more

Flaco's Cuban Bakery - Ropa vieja - Bakeries Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

I ordered 1 taco & 1 burrito 20 minutes ago being the only one here..... gave free food to his friend outside in the mean time. Got home and my "chicken" burrito was literally 100% rice and beans. Thanks a million. read more

Don't skip this place next time you find yourself in Gainesville! Was heading back to the airport after visiting my Dad in Florida and chose to go off the beaten path and find some local fare. Found Flaco's on Maps and immediately went for the Cuban Sandwich. Loved that the combo came with a pastry and drink. One of the BEST Cuban sandwiches I've ever had (and I seek them out everywhere I go since 'Chef') and the guava/cheese pastry immediately took me back to my Hawaii trip back in February. SO good! My stomach is full for my 8 hour journey back to Arizona (via Charlotte). Thank you! read more

Look no further to satisfy your hunger needs. Flaco's has a premiere selection of meals that is sure to please all. I personally have had the pleasure to destroy a serving of queso and then met with the amazing-ness of their arepas. The best way to describe it is the slutty sticky outside is met with a savory inside and absolutely phenomenal. 10/10 would recommend. 12/10 while drunk. read more

I have to be fair, even though I much prefer Mi Apa. Flaco's has some amazing food. The flavors are pretty spot on and it's always been my second go to spot for Cuban food in Gville. I've had some issues in the past with this place, but always found my self coming back from time to time. Worth checking out for sure. Again, not my first choice, but will do in a pinch. read more

Oh, Flaco's. What could I possibly say about my love for your food? Your arepas are first class, your sandwiches are the perfect ratio of cheese and meat to soft bread, and your quesito is a fine breakfast or dessert (though, most of the time dessert because I can't keep them in the house without eating all of them). I am confused about the new parking lot rules out back, but Flaco's...you will always have my heart. Even if I have to walk. And that's true love. read more

I was in Cuban cuisine withdrawal, and Flaco's saved me! The highest point was the coffee, which I very much needed at the time, and which was as thick and aromatic and syrupy as the ones I get in Miami, and every drop as potent. We got our sandwiches to go, so I can't really comment on the full experience of the atmosphere but I enjoyed what I experienced from the great view of University Ave to the oh-so-Gainesville band leaflets on the wall. While the uberhipster prep gal seemed like she'd rather be anywhere other than there at the moment (but she looked like I felt, so free pass on that) overall service was great, with the counter guy going to far as making a call to confirm whether or not certain items were made with lard (answer: no; vegetarians, gorge on those pastries). And the food? Oh, yes, the food. The. Food. As good as my favourites down South, with the added bonus of PLENTY of meatless eats! You can even get tempeh on a sandwich -- what is it with Gville and that soybean treat? It's everywhere -- but I personally opted for the glory that is plantain and cheese. Ooh baby. Add mustard. Now we have heaven. The spouse went for the Turnstyle, which he pronounced delicious; I got a bite, and it was good but no match for my mustard-accented plantainalicious glory. A spinach & cheese empanada rounded out the carbfest, and was also quite tasty. Would we go again? Let's just say that Flaco's is on our List of Reasons to Visit Gainesville Beyond Seeing My Mom (see also: Ward's, Reggae Shack, Chopstix). read more

Ate at Flaco's, went to a hardware store, bought a power drill and a jigsaw, went back to Flaco's, cut a basketball-shaped hole in the wall, and signed a lease for the space next door. "Eight dollar Cubano!" *sandwich appears through hole* And so plays out my ideal afterlife. Alas, I'm alive and living in Boston and locked in to a mortgage, so I'll just have my late night trysts with Flaco's, if Flaco's will have me. The pork, ham, pickles and Swiss magic marry beautifully on real (if a tad dry) Cuban bread. The guava and cheese pastry, also a shade dry, is at least understandably so, what with my flyby being 'round midnight on a Tuesday. And at a buck and change, easy to forgive a lil' staleness. Righteous black beans for a 50¢ premium. The maduros ($2) are straight-up sweet goo... and I like it. Echo the heads up offered by Mike W: Flaco's hits the pre-closing spot, but if you come with the last call masses, you'll likely see a downturn in quality. The press takes time, yo. read more

Flacos's used to be my favorite place to get food after hours ... but they have really gone down and I'm quite sure I'll never come back. We came in starving and ordered 4 tacos. We sat down and watched an entire party of 10 people come in after us, order, get their food, eat, and leave and we still didn't have our food. When we asked about our food, they had forgotten/misplaced it. By this time, we had been there 30 minutes and were past starvation. They made our food, and I asked the server if anything could be done about the wait. She snapped and said "you got your tacos, what else do you want??!". No one ever apologized for forgetting our order. I just got home, and one taco is missing. I even paid extra for the guacamole taco and it's not even in the bag, after all that attitude. I quit. I am never coming back here again. read more

Gainesville is a Taco and Burrito town. With Flacos, El Indio, Burrito Brothers, La Tienda, Boca Fiesta, and even Chipotle being among your only choices, Flacos sits in my top 3 taco joint favorites. Yes its a "cuban bakery", yes it has strange hours for their back taco counter, and no it's not revolutionary stuff. That considered, it's a staple of downtown life, affordable, tasty, open late, and hella convenient. I go to Flacos for the $2 soft shell tempeh tacos, vegan, with avocado garlic sauce (when they have it!). I go there mainly for a quick dinner, or as a late night stop. Ill get the $6 tempeh burrito if Im feeling extra hungry (its medium sized, as far as burritos go these days). Now keep in mind this review is solely pointed at their Taco and Burrito menu. That being the case, I feel Flacos is successful in being in the right location, charging a fair price, providing decent service, and selling a tasty product. The staff is chill, and if you live downtown, you probably know half of them by sight already. Its hard to find a better experience getting food downtown in Gainesville, even if youre favorite tacos are sold elsewhere =] An expansion of the taco menu (gimme plantains in the back!! and more vegan options!) would make this a 5 star review. read more

Gordo's Cuban Bakery at Midtown is a more appropriate name for this hole in the wall - because that's what you will look like after indulging in its savory choice of hispanic pastries and baked goods. From guava and cheese pastelitos to arepas and ropa vieja sandwiches, Flaco's offers a wide variety of inexpensive and delectable food options ranging from $1-7. I give my critique based on early and after hour experiences. I have not eaten at flaco's during its busiest hours - which seem to present customers with problems such as long waits and misplaced/forgotten orders - but the many times I have eaten here during breakfast and after a night of going out, I have had nothing but filling food, personable service, and awakening cuban coffee. For the downsides, Flaco's has a tendency to run out of food, and that is because it is in such high demand and the fact that workers don't store/freeze their pastries - which are delivered, heated, and sold the day of. Its sandwich ingredients are sometimes not premier, while the sandwiches themselves may be prepared differently from time to time. But what Flaco's lacks in authenticity, in part due to the smooth jazz (which I like), it makes up for in comfortability. What it may lack in quality, it makes up for in convenience. As a hole in the wall quick eat, Flaco's Midtown is your best bet, and a great addition to any college campus. read more

Given that I last reviewed Flaco's in 2009 despite the fact I come here pretty frequently, I think it's high time for an update. Yes, Flaco's is best late at night, but if there's a secret to having your best Flaco's experience it would be to come around midnight--not after the clubs let out. They now have tacos on weekend nights in the back part of the restaurant and the whole atmosphere is festive and fun. It's no secret they do the lion's share of their business when most of their customers are drunk, but who cares? If anything, honestly, their food has vastly improved in quality over the past few years. Like, seriously so. Their empanadas and pastries are on point now and their Cuban sandwiches are good, if not great. Again, it's a matter of showing up earlier in the evening. If you get there at 2:00am and the line is out the door, don't expect the best in quality or service. Flaco's is one of those places where they can do fine if not hurried but have a loud, drunk, and hungry crowd of kids and they seem to stress out. If you've ordered a sandwich at 11:00pm vs 2:00am, you know the difference at once. So if you come late, expect it to be bedlam. By the way, know where the word "bedlam" comes from? The Bethlehem Hospital in London in like the 19th century. It was a mental hospital and poorly-run. The inmates, as they say, were running the asylum. And that's about what Flaco's is like at 2:00am. Crazy people and a lot of 'em. The pastries (especially guava!), the iced coffee, the café con leche are always winners. And the staff, despite all they must endure, are overall swell people. read more

This review is based solely on the cafe con leche. Is that unfair? Yes, absolutely. But its my review & I LOVE my cuban coffee. ^_^ read more

Flacosssss! This is my favorite late night food stop! They have some menu items that are hit or miss... but I love the empanadas! They are delicious! The burrito bowls are good- they even have a super healthy veggie one. The tacos are also great! Also, try the cafe con leche or the cortadito, they are both super yum!!! There is such a great vibe and the staff is super helpful and nice. The food is made super fast, and is usually very fresh. Great place to swing by for lunch, or at 2am after you leave the club. read more

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One of the best spots to eat when spending the night downtown. Delicious food and really relaxed environment.

Any business who allows paying customers cars to be towed from their parking lot is evil. Avoid this Place. Not practicing good business ethics at all. read more

Drunken Five Stars. (And I don't even care about the Siracha which can be found at Walmart) The medianoche is amazing. So is the powder sugar one...I forget the name. This place is packed for a reason (as I always say). To all of those smart Gators below, that means the Demand exceeds the Supply, so the price must be too low. It is a great deal, just ask your economics professor. read more

Food is hands down incredible. Absolutely love it, would order more of it if they would answer the phone. I've called four times over the course of two months to try and place an order for pick up because my lunch breaks are so short, and they haven't answered the phone once. Food is deserves 5 stars for what this location is. Service is great too, just not a place I can even get food from since they don't answer the phones. For that reason I give it a 4 read more

When I dine Cuban, I expect to have more sauce selections than Thai ketchup (rooster sauce). My burrito was fine, but so bland I could only choke down half of it. I took the leftover half home, heated it up the next day with some proper spicy salsa, and it was good. There is an unwritten process for getting drinks, flatware (plastic), and ordering selections from two separate counters that is quirky at best. Serve yourself beverages. Dine at picnic tables. This is barely one step up from a food truck. Inexpensive, quick, and unremarkable. With Andaz just 50 steps east, I don't know why anyone would bother with Flacos. read more

I have wanted to eat at Flacos since I first saw it many moons ago when driving to Downtown. However, idk why, maybe because I can't see the parking lot, I never got around to it. Something about nonvisible parking lots makes a place not look customer friendly to me. Then, after having my first cuban sandwich in Micanopy and realizing what I had been stubbornly missing for my whole life, I knew I REALLY needed to try Flacos because Micanopy is WAY too far to drive. As much as I love food, there is a driving distance limit for a sandwich. Flacos is located on a corner of a road on University Ave. If you're driving east, it's on the left. Their logo is this lean looking pig that looks artistic albiet underfed. Let this not reflect the quality of their food. The interior was empty but gets kudos for having a good feel about it. Doesn't take itself too seriously and seems like a good place to just hang with friends. I went there yesterday and my boyfriend graciously treated me to a sandwich of choice. We both wanted a cuban so I also chose the ropa vieja so we could try a little of everything. Yes, we chose the white people staples of cuban food. Don't judge... We got it to go. I also ordered a drink and a guava cheese pastry to "authenticize" it. Each sandwich was ~$6.50 and the drink + pastry was an extra $1.75. (BTW, the place also gets some points for having an old-school arcade game in the place which has about 20+ games on it, including galaga, pac men, mario bros, etc...) After about 15 minutes, we got the food and headed home. To my surprise, the sandwiches were decent size and cut in half already. Made splitting the meal that much easier. The bread they use is amazing, especially after being pressed. It tastes fresh and is perfectly doughy on the inside, crisp on the outside. I think you could stick a piece of tofu in this thing and it would turn out delicious. And who knows, since its Gville, that may actually be a menu item! The cuban was amazing. It tasted like cuban perfection and was the best of the 2 ordered. However, the sides of my sandwich were a tad soggy from either the pickle juice or mustard or something and was just plain nasty. had to throw out those parts. Mushy wet, hot bread is not appetizing to me. (idk, is that a cuban sandwich usual?) The ropa vieja sandwich was tasty but skimpy on the volume of meat. Not that it wasn't filling though. It was just enough for one person. In fact, I could barely finish my part of it after stuffing down the cuban. VALUABLE TIP: If you order the ropa vieja sandwich, I highly suggest paying the extra 50 cents and getting cheese on it. I didn't, and regretted it. The pastry was outstanding! The pastry dough was PERFECT. And i'm not a big guava fan but I'd have a dozen of these... Value wise, it's not a bargain, but it's worth the money. Taste was excellent. Decor and feel was perfect for downtown Gville. I'm definitely looking forward to coming back and trying the whole menu. read more

I do not understand why people are giving Flaco's such a hard time. This place is awesome! I personally like their sandwiches. They have good flavor, not overpowering. There is a good variety too considering that this bakery is small. My favorite of their sandwiches is the Media Noche, I could eat it seven days a week literally. The pastries are really good too. Sometimes I stop in there and this is all that I get. They have just enough sweet but not too much. There are not many choices here either, but what they do have is absolutely AMAZING! If you do decide that you are going to get a soda with your sandwich my recommendation is that you also get chips or one of their pastries. A soda is $1.40 and to add a soda and chips it is $1.85 (this is close, not sure of the exact number I just know that it is a 40 cent difference) even if you just take the chips home and pack them in a lunch another day or eat them as a snack it is a better way to spend your money. The crowd here is a wide assortment. I have been in here for lunch and it was filled with people in business attire but when I went for dinner it had more of a wide range, there were college students and some families. Overall, I will be a continuing customer for as long as possible. I will be bring new people too so that they can understand why I love Flaco's so much! read more

I've been a dozen times or so and never could really get into Flaco's. It's really a shame because I've always wanted to like the place, and perhaps am just not ordering the right thing, but "meh" is really what I always leave thinking. Granted, I've only gone during the day and it seems to be a hit with folks who've been out downtown until the wee hours, but the food really should be better--often the meat is dry and just not on par with the other options downtown. read more

This quirky place lacks any quality or substance because it doesn't need it. It makes the majority of its money from kids when the bars are closing. I don't think its seedy insides hold the same appealing charm in the harsh light of day. And I don't think the food holds the same gooey fried allure come the morning after. read more

went for comedy night/happy hour. the food is delicious, lots of drinks available, and there's a very nice patio type area with chairs for outdoor seating. I had the cuban sandwich with the queso and it was very yummy. read more

I came Flaco's for the empanadas, after a wedding weekend, thinking this was a great Cuban bakery, in Florida, so close to Cuba, it should have good empanadas, but i was sorely mistaken!! this had the WORSE empanada's i've ever had. My wife and brother-in-law were so disappointed that we didn't finish our BLAHpanadas. I'm from San Francisco, 3338 miles away from Cuba (google maps- SF to Miami-Cuba), and they have 100X better empanada's than Gainesville. I'm an empanada fanatic. Luckily I ordered one of their pulled pork pressed sandwiches, I must say, this was the BEST PULLED PORK PRESSED CUBAN SANDWICH I'VE ever ever ever had. the pulled pork was so juciy, it melted in your mouth. i miss that sandwich sooo freaking much. I give the sandwich 5 stars, but the empanadas (-1) star. DO NOT GET THE EMPANADAS! but get the sandwiches.. Flaco's out does any sandwich made in California. read more

We've been eyeing this place for months, as they've had papered-over windows for about 4 months or so. Finally they opened up and we got a chance to hit it for lunch today. I got the Cuban sandwich - tasty, but some minor criticisms are that it was a bit pricey, could have been grilled a bit longer, and could have had more substance to it. My wife had a special, which I'm sure she'll write all about in a few minutes. We shared a side of plantains which were quite delicious - fresh, soft, and sweet. Main complaint: the price. We spent $14 for lunch for two - a sandwich with no chips or sides, and one empanada with small sides of beans and rice. And no drinks (we had water). Drinks are also pricey -well over a buck just for a can of soda. I sound like I'm getting old, don't I? However, the bakery prices are not bad - we splurged an extra $1.25 for a guava-and-cheese turnover that's pretty dang rockin'. More kudos for the actual drink selection - I popped in here a few weeks back and grabbed an "Ironbeer" - a cuban soft drink that is really different than anything else. They also have something called Malta, I think, in a bottle. So you have more option than just standard Coke and Pepsi. One last comment: World Cup Fever took the place over when we ate there - not a seat to be had. Germany scored a goal as we were headed for th door and the place erupted. Word. read more