Mi Apa Latin Cafe Gainesville — Restaurant in Gainesville

I have eaten here at least 100 times for need since 2017. Almost 8 years. I use only the drive through. Quality varies with the day and with the team; but about 2-3 months ago it used to be good. To this date Nov 22/2024 i tried to eat a steak that tasted gross and seemed to have been old food of days left rotten.. Soup was with no flavor , not spicy, seemed they just added water to what was left on the pot. I myself knows how to cook but I don’t leave in Gainesville. Food is good in other times. Not sure if they changed the cook or if this is the cook of the shift on a thursday evening.. this is what happened today thursday evening. Almost weekly experience through drive thru: they forget the spoons when they are giving you soup. They forget the straws, when they give you drinks . I have given high tips to expect not to miss straws, nor utensils, and expecting they bring me what I need, but the tips do not change the outcome. I also dislike very much they ask me to pull over at front especially when it is a hot day or a dark night, they should avoid to do this. Even though they asked me to move foward, even though a tip is given, still many times they dont give me what I asked or what I needed. I notice when they rush through cooking and when the cook is good. It is unconsistentl nor reliable to expect always a good food. I have let it pass many times but this last time i could not. Also few of them are not patient in waiting for us to decide. They push to the point i could have ordered more but the push makes me forget. On the other hand, some of the cashiers , some I know are not new at their job, are very aggressive in pushing and intimidating for a TIP. I have stopped coming sometimes because i dont want to feel the push. So depending on who is at the window I...

As our order began partial delivery of my lunch entree and my companion's (my grandson's lunch had not been delivered as of yet...) Food was delivered hot, with a few hiccups, the waitress spilled most of the hot gravy from the beef stew my companion ordered into his soda and on the table splashing him. Rather than bringing him a new plate and cleaning up the mess and replacing the stencil set ups we could not use. She only removed the soda and walked away. Leaving us to clean up the spill from the table with the small napkins in the over stuffed dispenser on the table that were tearing as we removed them. She returned a bit later with his new drink. She saw us struggling to clean up the mess and came with a bit larger napkin to retrieve our smaller napkin pile. She left and returned with my grandsons lunch and I had to call her back to please bring him a stencil set up to replace the one she had removed with the spill clean up we gave her. We immediately ordered a dessert for ny grandson as well. He had the chicken strips, mango smoothie and a 4 piece churro and was very happy. I had Cafe con leche, the Piccadillo and frioles negro rather than the red. Its was good, however there was an over powering seasoning in the meat I was not familiar with, very floral. I have made this dish many times and growing up in Miami with Cuban bestfriends, can say I have eaten it thousands of times in their homes as a child and an adult and never tasted this. Perhaps someone can tell me. My companion had the Beef stew with potato and the most beautiful tostones I have seen in a very long time. Bravo on THAT!! I have a Dr office I visit frequently near by so I will be back to give this...

I am from Miami but I’ve been living in Gville & surrounding area for 20+ years now but I know Cuban food. Mi Apa is not anywhere near it.

When they first opened up, they were the go-to place for our “Spanish fix” for Latin food. We LOVED it but not anymore. Their food has really gone down hill while the prices have gone up and up; and yet I get it that the economy is not the greatest right now but let’s talk about TASTE!!!

What on earth did they do with the roast pork? Today I ordered roast pork with the black beans and white rice. I took a few bites and don’t want it anymore. The pork was so salty, it’s like no one had restraint when seasoning the meat. And the portion I was given was for a child. I had more rice and beans than anything, so I fed the pork to my dog.

The only reason I keep patronizing Mi Apa is for their bakery items which I’m not even sure they make in-house. I purchased my grandson chicken strips and they were over fried. C’mon now, why even serve crusted brown chicken strips? I don’t get it.

Mi Apa isn’t what it use to be, that’s for sure. They have a million workers but no one who can cook. Maybe it’s because we had the food delivered so we got the misfit fixings but that’s ok. We won’t be ordering from them again; at least not for awhile.

Mi Apa, not sure why the quality of your food is suffering but it is. Sit and eat the food you sent me and see what I’m talking about. I bet you won’t be able to...