We found Las Carretas Mexican Restaurant in Gainesville through a last-minute Facebook Valentine's Day event, and WOW what a surprise! The event said no reservations needed, so we showed up not realizing how popular it would be. The place was PACKED with a line out the door! Even so, we only waited about 25 minutes for a table on Valentine's Day, which honestly wasn't bad at all considering the crowd. We went specifically for their Valentine's special: 2 margaritas, fajitas for two, and dessert, such a great deal! The margaritas were delicious. We ordered the Rita sampler and the blueberry margarita tasted like blueberry pie, so fresh, organic, and absolutely yummy. We also ordered homemade guacamole, which was delectable, paired with fresh, crispy homemade chips. Our fajitas included steak, pork, chicken, and shrimp, and everything was cooked to perfection. The flavors were incredible!!! And can we talk about the restaurant itself? It's HUGE! It felt like one of those multi-level Times Square NYC restaurants, with multiple floors and even outside patio seating. It was like a magic trick walking through it! Our waitress, Lia, was fantastic, attentive, helpful, and so sweet despite how busy it was. The staff worked incredibly hard all night and it showed. Plentiful parking, amazing food, great atmosphere. We will definitely be back to this hidden gem we didn't even know existed in town. Thank you for making our Valentine's Day special after a long day of yard work read more

Great food. They are very popular so it took us awhile to get seated. We were seated in 2top that was too close to bar where waiters were entering and exiting constantly bumping my seat. I really liked the vegetarian trio course and the salsa bar. They make their own salad dressing that was my favorite. We tried the margarita sampler it was fun and good presentation. Mostly frozen dessert cocktails. If you want something to pair with a main course it's better to get regular margarita. read more

Las Carretas Mexican Restaurant - Mexican Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

Came back to this gem with friends recently and had another great meal. We went around 6pm for dinner and the restaurant was popping! This is a popular spot and will get busy, especially on the weekends, campus functions, sporting events, etc. We were seated quickly upstairs. Service was decent and our waiter did a pretty good job taking care of us. I feel like she could have been a little more attentive to our waters and such. But overall, she was good. We were brought fresh, warm chips almost right away with a small cup of bean dip. The complimentary salsa bar is a must here. One of my favorite parts of dining at Las Carretas is their wonderful, free salsa bar. There are so many salsa options, along with a couple dressings, and some pickled veggies. They will replenish your chips if you ask them too. We easily went through about 3 baskets! One thing that we didn't love about our meal was the singing/performance they had going on. While the woman singing was nice and added to the overall experience, it was so loud. I could barely hear my friends around the table. This was slightly frustrating as I can see how it was meant to add to the overall experience of dining in the restaurant. But unfortunately it was just a little too much. For my entree, I ordered one of their new items, the Quesabirria. The dish featured "the juiciest quesabirria" filled with home made adobo chile guajillo, beef brisket, cheese, cilantro, and onions, served with rice, refried beans, and consommé broth for dipping. I thoroughly enjoyed this meal and thought it was perfect! The tortilla was fresh with just the right amount of charring on the outside. It was filled with super tender, flavorful brisket that was easily the star of the plate. Accompanied by ample amounts of melty cheese, fresh cilantro, and sautéed onions--a wonderful meal. I will say, the tortilla is stuffed with the juicy meat and it does get a little soggy and fall apart if you don't eat it quickly. I didn't mind this, as it didn't take away from the flavor of the dish. The rice and refried beans were also quite satisfying as I always enjoy theirs. The portion was large and I was easily full after clearing my plate! All in all, I had another great dinner at Las Carretas. The food was amazing, per usual. Really enjoyed the fresh chips and salsa bar to start. My Quesabirria was really good and I would highly recommend this dish. A filling plate, with plenty of tender brisket, this is sure to satisfy anyone who enjoys birria. The vibe of the restaurant was also great, per usual. As I mentioned above, the singer was a nice addition to the ambiance, but it was just too loud. Another thing I will note is that the table-side guacamole is not complimentary and is something you pay for. Many people get this confused when they come to the table. It is not a complimentary service, but I have had it before and will say it is worth trying! Service was good, nothing mind blowing though. I will be returning and will be ordering a margarita too! read more

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While the food is pretty good the noise level in this restaurant is catastrophic, read sitting in the front row of a heavy metal concert loud!! We had a party of 8 people and it was hard to even hear the person next to you let alone the waitress at the end of the table talking to you about the menu! Then to top it off a singer appeared at the table with a portable amplifier and microphone and began singing! I feel sorry for the staff having to endure this assault to their hearing! The Birria Tacos and Street Corn I had was good. But unfortunately we won't be back as the noise made it unbearable! I will say it was a Saturday night, but we have been there during the week and it was pretty much just as loud. It is busy so I guess the majority of patrons don't mind yelling to be heard at their tables. read more

We were craving Mexican and decided to give Las Carretas one more try. We were mistaken. The water tastes like they retrieved it from the toiled bowl. They've adjusted their salsa recipes and they no longer have much of anything with a real kick. They removed the alambre de lengua from their menu, which was a fave. The quesabirria I ordered thinking I could not go wrong... $18 for what looked like a kids meal portion. Service was fine. Food below average, just stereotypical Mexican. Welp. Definitely a hard no on going back. read more

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From the moment we walked in you could feel the energy. There was a live DJ playing Spanish music that really set the vibe for the whole night. The staff were super friendly and the service was incredibly fast. They have a large menu with pretty much every Mexican dish you can think of. We started with the queso and table-side guacamole, both of which were perfect for sharing. Of course we visited the salsa bar which everyone tells about. For the main course, we had the chicken flautas, steak quesadilla, arroz con pollo, and shrimp fajitas. I have to say, the food came out in UNDER 10 minutes, which was so impressive considering how busy they were. Everything was fresh, flavorful, and just hit the spot. A manager came out to check on us shortly after our food arrived, which was a nice touch. It really showed that they care about the customer experience here. The combination of delicious food, great music, and fast service made this place a winner. Highly recommend it for anyone looking for a fun night out with amazing food and good vibes! Will definitely be coming back. read more

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This place does not do well when busy. Orders are missed, food arrives cold, and reservations are not kept. Inside and outside seating available. Reservations recommended (but you're lucky if they adhere to them). read more

Las Carretas Mexican Restaurant - Outside - Mexican Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

I've been to Las Carretas a few times with friends, usually on weekends, but this time I went on a weekday night. The parking lot was packed and the restaurant was busy, but since it was just two of us we got seated pretty quickly. Service was friendly and quick even though it was busy. I don't know if it was where we were sitting but I could barely hear my friend talk. They start you off with free chips and bean dip. The bean dip was watery and not really my thing, and while the chips were classic Mexican restaurant style, some were too hard and oily. What I really love here is the salsa buffet. They have a ton of different salsas and spice levels. I always go for the Carretas dressing (the white sauce) and the table salsa since I don't handle spicy stuff well. For my meal, I ordered the Blancas Enchiladas which come with char-grilled chicken enchiladas topped with queso fresco and queso dip, plus beans, rice, lettuce, pico, guac, and sour cream. The portion was good, and while the chicken was soft, it was a bit bland. The tortilla edges that didn't have sauce were dry. Rice was solid, veggies were fine, and the guacamole could have been fresher. My friend got the queso blanco with chips and flautas. She liked both and said the flavor was good. I tried the queso myself. I was a little watery but had a nice kick. read more

Las Carretas Mexican Restaurant - Enchiladas Blancas - Mexican Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

I thought the food was decent for the amount of hype this place gets. When I arrived, there were a ton of people waiting and the whole establishment was filled, so I came in with high expectations. Starting with what was good, the table side guacamole and ceviche were great starters, both with good flavor. The salsa bar was also a great addition to the place and a nice differentiator from other restaurants. I enjoyed the variety of spicy salsas offered. The service was also great throughout the night as well. For the entrees, the birria tacos were the one dish I thought was tasty. The meat was very juicy and tender, but I wish they provide a little bit more consume with the dish. The other entrees we ordered weren't too great. The steak for the fajitas and mar y Tierra dish was bland and didn't have a nice texture to it. Furthermore, the vegetables had no flavor. The shrimp was tasty though. The fish that came with the tacos was also firm and not very crispy. Overall the food was ok but didn't find anything special about this place. read more

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Authentic Mexican and Tex-Mex food. Fresh made and flavorful. Their salsa selection is a bit different from many Mexican food restaurants in that it is on the table in squeeze bottles. Service was first class and the food arrived tableside hot out of the kitchen. The decor is bright colors, beer paraphernalia, and banners. Not a white tablecloth experience, but the food doesn't know that. Very good food, large dining room, great people. read more

valentina was so attentive and sweet. we loved the vibe here as well- very relaxed yet modern. they have a salsa bar with house salsa, pico, verde etc. we enjoyed the queso app and i really loved the chicken soup. read more

Las Carretas Mexican Restaurant - chicken soup - Mexican Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

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I was first introduced to this place by my daughter and I must say I was amazed and taking away about the atmosphere the authentic Mexican atmosphere music and the food. I had the quesadilla with the black beans and rice along with guacamole and chips that they make in front of you .Everything was fresh. It was so much food that I had to take some home for later. Do not pass this place without going there stopping in and pay them a visit you will enjoy the food in the atmosphere. read more

The food was very well seasoned! It was great to have Mexican food that did not taste "run of the mill". The only thing I did not enjoy was the tres leche. read more

Dry Tamales Mexicaños. . Weakest most expensive house margaritas. Christian the manger is horrible with customer service & argued versus resolving any issues. Might as well go to a chain restaurant. At least their is consistently bad, fake, or weak. read more

Wevhad Alejandra as our server she was awwesome explaining items for me and tried some mew items. Food was awesome as usial, and service was 2nd to none!always authentic mexican music playing over speakers addingbthe atmosphere. read more

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Las Carretas had some great reviews online so we decided to try it on a trip to Gainesville. The restaurant is modern and clean. We were seated immediately when we walked in and the waiter quickly took our order. We ordered the Texas fajitas, which had shrimp, chicken, and steak. It also came with beans, rice, salsa, guacamole, and three tortillas. The portion size was decently large and the food came out very quickly. I really enjoyed the steak, but otherwise the dish was nothing special. They also provided a complimentary basket of chips and had a salsa bar, which unfortunately no one mentioned. Overall, it was okay Mexican food in Gainesville. read more

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Everything was wonderful. We celebrated my sister's birthday. The food, the service everything was wonderful. We will be back. read more

Las Carretas Mexican Restaurant - Sister's cake. - Mexican Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

They were voted best Mexican restaurant 2025, and I agree. Chips with a whole salsa bar - free! Their drink sizes are generous and if you purchase during happy hour, amazing value. The chicken tortilla soup will cure any cold, period. read more

Las Carretas Mexican Restaurant - Birria (shredded beef) Burrito very generous portion and thick! We had leftovers. - Mexican Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

Really good! Fresh Guac made at our table, I had steak quesadillas which was super good. Service was great and food was fantastic. Really great experience, we'll be back again. Horchata was really good tooo read more

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Food so good that I forgot to take a picture!! That never happens... Best rice and beans I've had in a long while, full of flavor and perfect texture. Drinks as small or large as you can imagine. Highly recommend the pepino Margarita- great cucumber flavor. read more

The table-side guacamole is to die for! I loved the tropical chicken salad with the garlic white dressing on the side. My daughter loved the birria tacos even though she is a picky eater. I loved the ambience and the music too. The service is outstanding and the prices are great. read more

The food is amazing, and the service is just as great! However, the only issue is with the utensils -- they're quite rough and have sharp edges on the handles, which actually hurt your hands when using them. My wife insists we can't come back unless this is addressed. The restaurant itself is beautiful, and the salsa bar is fantastic, but I might need a few aspirins afterward because of those sharp utensils! read more

Las Carretas Mexican Restaurant - Bar Area - Mexican Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

This is a great Authentic Mexican restaurant located in Gainesville Florida. The menu has many food Mexican food options and the prices are very reasonable. The portions are very large. I ordered tamales and fajitas that were excellent. The fajitas had all kinds of proteins in one dish such as pork, chicken, meat and shrimp. The service was friendly, knowledgeable and quick. The interior was decorated nicely. I totally recommend and definitely will be back when I am in Gainesville again. read more

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The food was great the Salsa bar puts it over the top. The table side Guacamole was incredible. The service outstanding.

It was our first time visiting and overall was great! Our server Ronn was great and got everything we needed! My husband got the Enchiladas Mexicanas and basically finished his plate. I got the Texas Fajitas and that was a huge portion. It was absolutely delicious especially with the corn tortillas! Highly recommend coming here! read more

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Overview: 5/5 Our first time to this Mexican restaurant and it was "excelente".!! Ambiance : 5/5 It had PLENTY of seating for large and small groups. They had a large outdoor patio that was covered with tons of tables. Food/Drink 5/5 I'm a hard critic when it comes to Mexican food. I got a combo dish that included a cheese enchilada, a chicken quesadilla and a chili Riano. My wife got the chicken fajitas. Both platters came with large portions and sides of refried beans and rice. My wife had a Texas margarita which was huge and I had a Mexican beer. My only critique is that they should have to go lids for the sauces. Prices were very reasonable for the amount of food that you got. Service : 5/5 Our server was pleasant and got our order right. Conclusion : this place is a winner and we will definitely be back to try some other items. read more

Las Carretas Mexican Restaurant - Drinks - Mexican Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

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With all the Google reviews looking staged, we decided to try it anyways. It's definitely a good restaurant with good food and service. Price was fair. The ambiance was unique because of the different levels, and outside seating; pleasant environment. I did find the table for four was a bit small for four. Upstairs men's bathroom was out of soap, had to take the pump off to get some. There is a salsa bar but there's only small serving containers that the chips don't really fit in. Wife likes the idea of being able to get salsa, but I don't care to have to serve myself and family, and have to pay a service tip... Fish tacos did not come with limes, I found that odd. Had to ask for them. Please see pics.. read more

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Amazing food and margaritas. Service was fantastic. Try the Baria Tacos and passion fruit margaritas! read more

Excellent food and service. Cece was our sever and she did a great job. I love the soy tacos and guacamole. They have plenty of vegetarian options. The patio is comfortable and they have fans to help with the heat. I look forward to coming back. This is one of my go to places while in Gainesville. read more

Las Carretas Mexican Restaurant - Patio Seating - Mexican Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

The service was so quick, quicker than Dim Sum and as fast as fast food. The food came out hot and felt good with a homemade field. They have a salsa bar so you can get all the salsa you want. There are sections for 21 and over. They also have theme nights. When I went there were $10 tacos and a DJ outside. The next day was karaoke. Definitely a great experience. read more

4.9 is a height to keep up for a restaurant. They delivered and definitely a need to come back when back in town. Our server was Alesandra. She was very attentive and explained the large menu we received.The menu is a bit overwhelming. I wanted simple Tacos, and my wife wanted Enchiladas to keep it a late night small meal. I went with a Steak And a Beef Taco. The Steak was a homerun and very flavorful . The beef was just okay. We also did the queso dip, and it was so so good. Love the setup of the place. Very lively and very inviting. We will try different items on the next trip. My final score 4.6 after this visit. read more

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Who can't resist a really good margarita? Spot on authentic Mexican food. Delicious handcrafted margaritas. Food was very good, free chips are brought to the table and everyone has access to the Salsa Bar. Wild Berry. Margarita. Fresh blueberry, blackberry, and raspberry, silver tequila, agave nectar, and fresh lime juice. Served on the rocks. This drink was packed with fresh fruit and the small was way bigger than expected. Steak Fajitas come to the table sizzling with onions and peppers, warm tortillas and a plate of lettuce, tomato, guacamole and beans. Pollo Popeye is a nice marinated grilled chicken breast with spinach, mushrooms, queso and a side of rice and beans. A different dish that was good and the chicken was so flavorful. This is a fun, lively restaurant guaranteed to put you in a good mood. read more

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Food is good. Salsa bar. Service is great and fast. Very lively restaurant with live music/entertainment. Our server Mia was super helpful and friendly. read more

Dining at Las Carretas was one of the most unnecessarily complicated lunch experiences I've had. If you enjoy surprise charges, unclear policies, and every small request requiring manager approval, this might be the place for you. If you prefer straightforward service and transparent pricing, Gainesville has much better options. For context: I'm a first responder and a UF student. I rarely leave negative reviews, but this experience was frustrating enough that I feel other customers should know what to expect. From the start, service was extremely disorganized. Our waitress had to ask a manager for almost every question. This wasn't a language barrier -- she understood us -- but it felt like every basic request required authorization. I asked for a to-go box when I ordered because I have dietary restrictions and portion my meals. Despite multiple reminders, I didn't receive it until the sixth request, and the restaurant wasn't busy. Getting a to-go container should not require this level of bureaucracy. When I asked about student or first responder discounts, she again had to consult a manager. I even showed my UF student ID, and the manager lady said the student discount only applies to "nachos and margaritas." However, there's a large sign advertising a UF student discount with no mention of that restriction. So naturally the question becomes: if the restriction exists, why isn't it written on the sign? Because right now it just looks like the rules change depending on who asks. Pricing transparency was also an issue. Our waitress offered guacamole without mentioning the cost. My coworker accepted and even tipped the jar next to it, only for us to later learn it was $6.49 per person. My entrée also came out wrong. After one bite I asked for it to be corrected, and they were preparing to charge me for both burritos until we clarified I would only be paying for the correct order. Then there's the salsa bar. It appears to be self-serve, but if you want to take the tiny cups home it's $1 per cup, and $2 for chips to-go, even though both are free while dining in. So apparently the salsa bar is complimentary... until it gets near the exit. While packing our leftovers, the manager lady stood nearby watching us and then rushed over to tie my bag herself. Considering we had already paid for everything on the table, the hovering felt unnecessary and honestly a little awkward -- as if packing your own leftovers might be a suspicious activity. To finish things off, my change wasn't even the correct amount -- it was less than what I was owed. Between the constant manager approvals, surprise charges, attempted charges for mistakes, condiment fees, and the overall uncomfortable atmosphere, this was one of the most frustrating lunch experiences I've had in Gainesville. There are far better options nearby, including El Indio and Peppers Mexican Grill and Cantina. Customers shouldn't need a policy manual just to order lunch. If other Gainesville locals have experienced similar issues here, I'd genuinely be interested to hear about it. I'll also be interested to see how management addresses these concerns publicly, since transparency with customers is important. UPDATE: I also got food poisoning from here. How convenient . The food was mediocre at best but I definitely wasn't expecting to get sick from it. My night was miserable because of this. read more

Gone! ¡Adios!...the quality, the caring, what made it a great Mexican restaurant when last visited over a year ago. Pitiful portions, pitiful flavor, pitiful service. A chimichanga that was barely fried filled with more cheap vegetables and rice than anything else. Sent it back as the waitress tried to argue. A new one delivered BARELY more than the last reject. Bland boring and soooooo overpriced!!! WHAT do the ingredients in a chicken quesadilla cost the restaurant or any local Mexican wanna-be reataurant? Around 75¢!! Yes! And you pay over $12.00 !!! That goes for EVERYTHING on the menu. To this day as it has always been, La Tienda is the ONLY real Mexican restaurant. read more

Loved it! Fajitas are excellent. Table side guacamole is a must. Ana, our server, was super friendly and accommodating. read more

Las Carretas Mexican Restaurant is a very popular Mexican restaurant in the city of Gainesville, Florida. It is located in a shopping plaza where the parking is tight, but I was able to find a parking spot. Walking in, Las Carretas Mexican Restaurant has a very cool.vibe. it has multiple floors and they also have outside seating. The hostess was friendly. My server was a bit aloof. Not rude necessarily, but he was disinterested. He asked if all was okay at one point, just following up after my food arrived, but before I could answer, he had walked off. They also have a guy walking around asking if you would like homemade guacamole as an appetizer. I saw in another review, they fail to mention that this is not complimentary. Thank you, fellow Yelper. That saved me about twelve dollars. They do have a salsa station. Since I like very hot, I went with their habanero salsa. For my entree, I went with a birria burrito. The birria was good. It was also filling. I also want to say that it is a bit more than other Mexican restaurants. Not terribly much more, but it is several dollars. The burritos start at about eighteen dollars. All in all, it was a good experience here and I would recommend here. read more

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This spot is over rated. My chicken over rice included mushy rice that was over cooked. Everything else was bland. Definitely not for me. The guacamole was the only thing I enjoyed. Maybe it was a bad day for them but this restaurant was not it, read more

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My friends and I came here last week and had a wonderful server named Sofia!! She was super kind to us and recommended a lot of good food that we tried. We will definitely be back to see her! Great place. read more

10/10 every time. Love the guacamole being made in front of me. And the salsa bar is another 10/10