Gainesville

Gainesville Food Truck Going Bring and Mortar Soon

DJ's Cast Iron Burgers will debut in five to six weeks in their brick and mortar location.

DJ's Cast Iron Burgers on Facebook.

GAINESVILLE, FL – DJ’s Cast Iron Burgers is preparing to open its first brick-and-mortar location this March at 5141 NW 43rd Street, Suite 106, Gainesville, FL 32606. The restaurant is co-owned by Jose Nieves and his business partner, Miguel Cardona, and follows several years of operating as a food truck in the community. Nieves told Business Debut the team is targeting an opening in about five to six weeks.

What to Expect

DJ’s Cast Iron Burgers is a burgers-and-fries concept centered on smash burgers cooked on seasoned cast iron planks. The menu is intentionally simple, with a focus on thin, crispy beef patties, pan-cut fries, and house-made components prepared fresh in-house. “Everything we can do in-house, we do,” Nieves told Business Debut, citing house-made pickles, sauces and chili as core parts of the concept.

The 1,200-square-foot restaurant will feature limited seating, with about 12 seats inside and a few additional outdoor seats. The space is designed primarily for takeout, with branding inspired by the company’s food truck, including its signature “burger lovers” characters and bright blue and yellow tones.

Among the most popular items is the Oklahoma Onion Burger, which features thinly sliced onions pressed directly into the beef patty as it cooks, finished with DJ sauce and house pickles. Another standout is a spicy-sweet burger topped with charred jalapeños, bacon, cheese, mayonnaise and a house-made candied jalapeño jam. Nieves described it as “a little bit of spice, texture and sweetness all in one bite,” told Business Debut.

The cast iron planks themselves are central to the brand. Nieves said the same planks have been in use for about five years and are seasoned daily with beef tallow, adding depth and consistency to the cooking process.

Opening Timeline

The team is targeting a March opening for the brick-and-mortar location, pending final inspections and buildout completion.

Hours

The restaurant plans to operate seven days a week. Hours are expected to mirror the food truck schedule: Monday–Saturday from 11:30 a.m.–8 p.m., and Sundays from 11:30 a.m.–6 p.m., with potential expanded hours after opening.