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Mon-Thu. 11:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Mon-Thu. 5:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Fri-Sat. 11:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Fri-Sat. 5:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m.
Sun. 4:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
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We used to live in West Seattle and have been here a handful of times. It's always hopping with folks, no matter the season. It is especially busy during the summer.
The food is not your typical traditional hole in the wall Mexican food. The flavor profiles are more refine and less greasy.
The ambiance is warm and fun. Good place for happy hour if you want an upbeat place to hang with your friends.
Would I visit here again? Perhaps if I am in the area but I would not go out of my way to just go here.
I love Cactus because it just feels good to be there whether its a sunny day and you've just walked Alki, or it's a cloudy damp day and you're ready for a respite from the rain with some good chips and salsa. I've probably eaten at this location 15 or 20 times - most recently on Sunday night with my family. It was a good experience for a party five that included a sometimes difficult senior - my grandpa. I was happy he had a good meal, a nice time - and that the server was patient with him, so that prompts me to remember to write them a review...
My favorite Cactus is still the original in Madison Park. I've loved it since I walked in the door as a mistake over ten years ago.I still feel like that is the only "real" Cactus, because Kirkland and West Seattle are much bigger and feel more like part of a chain (even if it is only 3 restaurants), but this West Seattle location right on Alki is nice and the food is what matters.
But I digress. The food! I love it. Listen, if you like sloppy Mexican food like you might get at Las Margaritas, then you will not like it here. If you like more flavor, less slop and more southwestern approach you will like it. At least that is my opinion...your mileage may vary.
The butternut squash enchilada, green enchilada and Navajo torta are favorites. And for someone who doesn't know what to get and feels overwhelmed, the fajitas are always a good way to go. The black beans have a cumin kick that's nice but not overpowering...most entrees come with these and rice. You can also request annato beans (more like red beans. The chips come free and the salsa is pretty solid. If you feel like something sweet to start - try the fry bread appetizer (comes with honey and is GOOD), although the portions are good sized here and you don't need an appetizer between the chips and meal. To top it off? If you like flan, theirs is nice. If not, try the Cowgirl Brownie Sundae and you will NOT be sorry.
Service at this location really varies, so if you keep that in mind coming in you will not be annoyed and maybe even pleasantly surprised. Weeknights they are not busy and it's very attentive, but they get super busy on the weekends in when the weather is nice. Don't expect great service at those times and be prepared to wait awhile for a table.
Oh, and if you're feeling it, they have some really tasty albeit somewhat pricey cocktails along with a full bar. That is a good way to pass the time as you wait to sit down and eat!
I just had a burrita, not burrito, and I've gotta say, it was pretty freakin' good. I was pleasantly surprised with the verde sauce on it and the pollo was nice and tender. It was complimented with a strawberry-tamarind lemonade that was nicely tart with the slight savory of tamarind. Dessert consisted of a super thick brownie topped with vanilla ice cream and a caramel-peanut mix. It was good too...but not Mexican in the slightest. Well, the caramel was slightly like Mexican cajeta, but still very American.
All in all, the service was great, the food was good (very Americanized though) and I really enjoyed my visit.
It seems as though the food has gone through a steady transition over the last year....and not a positive one. The Guacamole is not consistant. Pre-scooped and ice cold it lacks any character. The entrees seem a little less loved. I llike the atmosphere but the quality has slipped. After all, I do go out to restaurant mostly for the food and for the check average here, I will not be in a hurry to go back....
I also have noticed the lack of hot water available in the hand sinks in the restrooms....i see the cooks and servers use this restroom and it makes me wonder how they are cleaning their hands?
Cheap scotch. Good sangria.
We went on a Friday night, and the wait was about an hour. Very nice view, but it was seriously packed. The ceviche was pretty good, but not the best I've had. Boyfriend had the Navajo Torta, and he said it was good. The fry bread was a bit puffier than what he's used to. I had the Tacos de Carne Asada, which I very much enjoyed. The meat is seasoned differently than your usual carne asada though, so be aware of that. We got a comp' desert, which was really nice. Very rich though. (We got the brownie.) We couldn't finish it.
All in all, we enjoyed it for the cheap drinks, the food was pretty good, the service was good, but be prepared to wait if you go on a weekend.
Our first dining experience at Cactus and I was very impressed with Laycee (our server). She is very knowledgable and attentive. The menu is very diverse and somewhat different. The seafood enchilada was excellent. The prices are a little higher than I was expecting but then again, I am new to this area so I really did not knwo what to expect. All-in-all, a very good experience.
Their mojitos are yummo.
Great location and nice spot to go during the summer when their garage doors open up.
Great chips, but wished their salsa came hot and spicy.
Food is just okay. I'd rather go to a hole in the wall Mexican restaurant with traditional food though I know this is supposed to be more "southwestern style dishes".
We had a lovely dinner at Cactus the night before the record breaking heat of 103 degrees. For all of you that don't know this, Alki Point tends to be about 15 degrees cooler than the rest of Seattle. A great place for dinner on a summer night.
Cactus was heaven that night. Our Waitress may be one of the best servers I have ever had. Thanks Ashley! I also want to give Cactus a salute for keeping the rest of the support staff during a bad economy. Having bus people and helpers to keep everything full (chips, salsa, water) makes an incredible difference. My husband and i have recently experienced several very high end restaurants that have traditionally excellent service, and noticed things have really gone down hill. It occurred to us that our waitstaff was literally running, keeping up with everything all by themselves. No so at Cactus where they keep the place staffed. Bravo!
The food was wonderful, the margaritas great and flowing a plenty, and even my kids ate well - they have a great kids menu too.
Gracias - for a fabulous night out!
First impressions go a long way...
I visited this location for the very first time yesterday with a few friends, at first I was very excited about Tex-Mex/Mexican food. I lived in Arizona for over 10 years and its been hard to find good Mexican food.
But the visit began all wrong and they were not able to recover. The hostess, whom later we realized was the Manager, was far from personable and friendly to us. It was our very first time there. We asked for a table, when we noticed that the bar was crowed we asked if Happy Hour was only at the bar, the hostess annoyed said yes and rudely informed us it was first come first serve. As we felt unwelcome, we decided to stay at our table. We were the only ones in the dinning area and we waited and waited while the waiters decided which one of them was going to help us.
Even though the waiter was friendly, the service was slow, very slow. Busboys and other waiters and waitresses would look at us but would just keep walking. Pretty much we were being ignored. I began thinking if the fact that were the only diverse group in the restaurant was what was causing the delay. The dinning area became crowded pretty fast. And we were still being ignored while other tables were being helped. Half way into our dinner the waiter then informed us that he was working the bar area as well and someone else would be taking over our table. To my surprise our new waiter was a Hispanic male and I almost felt as if the Caucasian employees did not want to deal with us. I had to laugh.
As far as the food goes, it was OK but I would never call it Mexican nor Tex-Mex as it was way beyond fancy wanna be Mexican food.
I was highly disappointed with my entire experience. And I am sad that I live down the street and can't even go there again.
You gotta love the location.
Their ten dollar nachos cost more than ten bucks??? wtf?
Drinks are good. Service good. Food is above average.
I'm curious to know what their rent is or do they own the building?
I love this place.
The location on Alki is great especially when it is gorgeous hot weather like we have had the past couple of months!
Great chips and salsa.
I often dream about their margarita ultimo. Really it is so good.
I love their steak salad. (yeah yeah I know that is not exactly why you go to a restaurant like this.)
Nothing over the top but dependable and good food at a fun location.
Oh, Cactus, Cactus...! I have a poem for you.
You have a view
I will always love
sunlight
bathes your concrete floor
we walk on gold
You have the flan
Oh, flan, flan, flan
that makes
my hands tremble
my spine shiver
all with
imperceptible pleasure
creamy on my tongue
nectar inside
my cheeks
in my bloodstream
in my memory
your flan
nothing else matters
I'm cheesy. Just like Tex-Mex food should be.
¡Volveré por más flan!
My bf took me here on a casual first date and I knew we'd get along well after that since we both love food especially Mexican! They're ALWAYS busy so most of the time you'll have to wait a lil bit, but the food is worth the wait. I love coming here in the summer when they open up the huge side window, so you get the nice breeze and a great view. We always get the fresh guacamole as an appetizer (in addition to the free chips and fresh salsa) and mojitos and margaritas which have usually been pretty strong. I tried the blue corn enchilada and my bf usually gets something with steak in it. Both were amazing. Other than the wait, I love coming back here.
This location is awesome because they have those great "garage doors" that they open up in the summer and you can smell the beach and people watch and it's just totally fabulous. It's also WAY easier to get into this Cactus without a wait since it's so much bigger than the Mad Park one.
I love their food. The specials are almost always worth it. The stuffed squash blossoms are interesting and yummy and pretty.
I'm really into the seafood enchilada probably due mostly to the creamy chilli sauce and all that cheese. Also it wouldn't be a trip to Cactus without ordering a prickly pear margarita. Carnitas = love.
Definitely head out here for a quiet weekend dinner and stroll on Alki.
I'm only giving this restaurant more than 1 star for the Navajo Fry Bread and the Mango Margaritas. Otherwise the food is pretentious and in general verging on the inedible.... I end up going there with people who love it - I think because of the multiple Mango Margaritas they have. I would not pick it for dinner on my own!
I went once with the aforementioned group and ended up waiting over an hour for our reservation! Pretty lame.
Go here when you like to have fun and relax. Food is ok (because I always can't finish it) to good. Atmosphere is great. Try the calamari, it's fantastic! Don't forget to gulp some classic mojito as well. Fyi, they serve fancy Pan-Mexican foods, but yes, it's actually good.
This is a favorite HH spot for some of us who work at the college nearby. Lovely interior, great food (consistently!), great specialty drinks, and a lovely outdoor patio.
Some faves: Navajo fry bread, tacos de Carne Asada, smoked chicken quesadilla for an appetizer, camarones del diablo, and the Navajo Torta (Indian taco!!!).
My only complaint, HH is only 3 pm to 5 pm. But on an 85 degree day (as yesterday was), it's the most reasonable excuse to leave the office early and sit in the sun with the breeze from the water blowing over you and your cocktail.
Hmm. Okay. The food is DELICIOUS. I loooove me some chimichangas (You know what, I even love saying "chimichanga." Just....chimichanga. Such a good word), and the chimichangas (see? fun) here are spectacular. The guacamole's good, the ceviche is damn near perfect, but I am going to level with you, the service was a little overbearing. I don't like it when servers introduce themselves to me. Like, hey buddy, let's keep a little mystery between us. But our server was nice, attentive, and stayed extra-professional when my dinner companion was a teeny bit high-maintenance.
The bar, though. And the bartender. Not so great. Not real communicative as far as happy hour went, and also, dude, I work in a bar, so I know what a four-count pour is, and I know that he poured me a weak-ass mojito. As in, I couldn't taste the rum at all. Come on, Cactus! Your drinks are delectable! But I swear to god, one more sucker-poured cocktail and I'll just save my energy and money for the (wait for it) CHIMICHANGAS.
Cactus has a great view and great service. The mojitos were very good, the sangria just average. I had the Mexican Chop Salad, a very tasty salad. The chips and salsa were good enough but the guacamole was not worth the price.
I love the colors and decor of Cactus. It is so bright and happy inside I feel like I could come here on a dreary, rainy day for an instant mood boost!
Finally, I have been to all the Cactus locations (I frequent Kirkland and Madison Park as I live in Bellevue) and the West Seattle location is my favorite. The bar area is huge and it is hard to beat the surrounding area on a warm Pacific Northwest evening.
The food is great, the staff is friendly, and the chips and salsa are the best of any local Mexican restaurant (except for El Camino, but those are banana chips so they don't count). The bar menu is very tasty as well.
A little on the pricey side IMHO.
I will be making the trek back to this location the next time I need an excuse to head the Alki area...
Went here for Happy hour today and the appetizers and drinks were awesome. You can get a mojito or magarita for just $5 and well-priced tasty appetizers like grilled jalapenos stuffed with goat cheese wrapped in BACON and coconut prawns with mango salsa for $4 each. Their salsa has a really nice spicy burn.
My entree of choice is ALWAYS the butternut squash enchilada. Yummy yum yum!!
God I love Cactus, I always walk away full and totally satisfied. I usually go for their steak fajitas and just grub down. I assume their tortillas are made in house because they taste so fresh and yummy. I recently tried my girlfriend's chicken chimichanga and it was incredibly delicious and tasty as well. And we try and finish off out meals with a tasty bananas dulce dessert. So very good.
Also, props on their tequila list and their mojitos are hella tasty too.
That's all I got, peace out!
Wait times are long--so SIT AT THE BAR. It has full service and is fun is you are just a couple on a casual date. This place is hip and trendy, and quite popular with the upper-middle class crowd. But, Cactus deserves it. The drinks aren't too expensive and REALLY good (the best Mojitos in West Seattle, if not the whole city). They have plenty of different drinks, things with prickly pear and herbs and spices. It's a cool layout, plenty of free chips and salsa, and a great place to hang, drink, eat and watch the sunset. THE MAJOR PROBLEM: they have a great restaurant and bar, but they are only open until 10pm. They have a liquor liscense, why not stay open later. I think they close at 9pm in the kitchen on the off-season. No bueno.
I finally made it over to Cactus on an overcast, rainy Saturday. Even a crappy Seattle day can't ruin that view of Alki. We sat in the bar by the front window which was awesome. I got some sangria and chicken enchiladas with green salsa and my hubby got veggie fajitas. Yum! When our waiter first brought our food, I thought they had given my husband steak instead of veggies, turns out it was just a bunch of fat portabellos. Everything was fresh and the rice and beans (which are never very exciting to me) were great also. I liked the fact they used black beans instead of refried.
You have to pay $2 for the chips and salsa but I think it's worth it. The chips were crispy and thin and the salsa was super flavorful.
I hope this was the first trip of many I will make, after all I didn't even try a margarita. They also have tequila samplers. For some reason I could justify having sangria at 11:30am but not tequila. Cactus, I look forward to seeing you very soon.
I was making "mmmMMMMmm" noises from start to finish. Our server, Gordon? (tall, cute, blond, skinny) helped me pick out a margarita to start, and since I'm a spicy freak we went with the one with Jalapenos and cilantro. Delish. My bf got the mango chelada and I had my doubts...until I took a first sip. Then another. Then I got yelled at to stop. Then, Gordon surprised us with his favorite appetizer, the ceviche. It was a-mah-haAAAz-ing. Free doesn't make a tasty ceviche, lots of scallops and fresh guac do! Good choice, Gordy. We then split the lime chicken soup (specials menu). The chicken was very, verrrry flavorful. Then out came the chicken tamales topped with mole (again, specials menu). MIND BLOWING. You could taste love. It was generously sprinkled in that mole, I'm sure of it. We agreed to eat it slowly to "delay the heartbreak of our Love 'Males bein' all gone...." I told you the drinks were good. Thanks again, Gordino...(and I sincerely apologize,because every time I've written Gordon or some version of it, I become a little surer that that is not your name).
so this ain't nothin' more than a single item review. i can't in good conscious give it more than an a-ok review not having tried more items.
it's all about the grilled skirt steak salad. you might never ever pay more for a goddamn salad in your life (after tax and tip, it should cost about $20), but it's among the best meals of your life. first of all, they treat the steak as if you're gonna pick it out and compare it to daniel's broiler or el gaucho, which is to say... it's excellent. but then to get down with the avacado, bleu cheese and bacon, and chipotle balsamic vinaigarette... sheeeeit, you've just won the championship of salads. hell, it's beyond salad, salad's a beginning, an admission of pre-meditated gluttony, in this case it manages to step beyond simple preamble and move straight to main course.
of course it comes with main course prices, but i've never seen a salad step up and bed down a belly for a hard night of drinkin' nearly as well as cactus's steak salad. so good, i've never ordered anything off the menu, other than this.
This place is pretty good. They do some very good Mexican food.
Went here on Saturday for some lunch and was really impressed with all the food- and the drinks
I had the Butternut Squash Enchilada and it was awesome. Right balance of smoke, sweetness and savory. Came with standard rice and beans- which are hard to screw up.
Ordered a margarita that had cilantro, jalapeno, and some other spices in it. Was mighty tasty.
Prices are reasonable. Had a lunch time tequila flight for $12. Food was all $9-$12.
Good location right accross from the beach and the outdoor seating was great.
I'll be back......
beautiful location, alki beach, can't go wrong... beautiful inside, beautiful outside
the food? thumbs down.. i was hung over when i came here and usually anything is good hung over... espeically mexican food, but mexican food in washington? i come from la, you can't beat mexican food from la....
this place sucked for mexican food, but i still liked the vibe of the place...
Bright pink prickly pear mojitos?!?! Can I say YES PLEASE.
I've been to Cactus quite a few times (both the one in Madison Park and Alki) and I've enjoyed every experience. They are definitely a little on the pricey side ($13-18ish for entrees, $6-8 for drinks), so I don't go too frequently. However, it's definitely a great spot to hit up if your with a small group of friends and don't want to settle for a dive bar.
For the lactose intolerant, it's a bit difficult. There aren't many (if any) dishes that don't come with dairy/cheese. However, as usual... you can always ask to have that excluded and voila... happy tummy!
I appreciate that they keep my water glass full and (at least last night) continuously bring us chips and salsa. I think my group went through about 3 baskets of chips before our food arrived (No judgment! We were starving!).
As for the food... delicious. I always order the tortilla soup with navajo fry bread (ask for honey!). So yummy and just the perfect amount of food for me. I do have to caution that their style of Mexican food caters to sweeter palettes, so if you are looking for more salty (read: Azteca style) dishes then I'd go elsewhere.
But definitely order a bright pink prickly pear mojito. You won't be disappointed. And fellows? All the cool dudes are rockin' them!
I love this place. The atmosphere is great, the view is spectacular and the nachos are to die for!!! Service can be a little slow sometimes, but everything else makes up for it! Cactus is a great place to go on a date or with a group of friends...
Nice atmosphere, tasty and unusual combinations.
Tasty. Note to self: get fajita with skirt steak next time too. It comes on a cast iron pan still singeing, with caramelized onions. The cheese dip is also delicious with chips.
If you drive, there is a below-ground parking lot around the corner for this place. It's also a really nice place to take out-of-town visitors to sit outside on a summer night beside the shore.
We're always on the lookout for great brunch spots that also offer lunchtime fare. After hitting several Seattle spots in recent weeks, we decided to expand our search and headed for Cactus in West Seattle. The Sunday morning was gorgeous and we arrived about 15 minutes before the doors opened. One of us went to go grab a paper from a nearby store and the other two of our group plopped down on the open entry to the dining area and gazed at the Sound. After a few moments of this, we began to plot in interest and decided to surreptitiously scope out the dining area and where we may want to sit. After deciding on the four-top booth nearest the open window, we all sat on the half-wall directly in front of the booth and smiled at the server who was busily filling salt and pepper shakers in his area. With about three minutes until opening and a small line gathering at the door, one of us went to stand in line while the other two hovered by the booth and set our paper down on it. The server came by and chuckled a bit, knowing full well what we were up to.
Once we were settled into our booth, our server, Ryan, promptly came up, grabbed our initial coffee order and made some recommendations to the menu. We then took an enormous amount of time perusing our menu choices because there were so many options and they all looked enticing. Two of us ordered Bloody Marys and the teetotaler in our group was jealous that we got olives in our drinks, so Ryan brought us a small plate of olives to that the third would not feel left out. Phenomenal service, that one.
I ordered the Mexican Chop Salad (Chile-lime marinated grilled natural chicken breast, mixed greens, queso blanco, crunchy jicama, peppers, olives, pepitas, pico de gallo, roasted corn, chipotle-balsamic vinaigrette) sans peppers and pico. It had a wonderful, fresh flavor and the basic ingredients just popped...I really enjoyed it. I don't recall what my mates ordered, but I do remember that they both enjoyed their entrees. We'll definitely be back; not only for the ambiance and the stellar service, but for the great food!
Just a good mexican joint, with exceptional decor. It definately
ooks a lot classier than the food is. Nice tamales, but probably one of the loudest restaurants I've been to on alki!! If you want a nice sit down
place to eat at for dinner, go somewhere else! If you don't mind the noise coming from the bar, enjoy the blueberry key lime pie.
Hi I'm Chris...
and I'm a sucker for Cactus.
As many have mentioned before me, this is not standard Mexican fare; you don't see butternut squash, creme fresh, and lavender on the menu your local Mexican joint. Though I am on a quest to try everything on the menu, it has been a gallant effort to date. The fresh sheet continues to taunt me with its constant barrage of goodness, and has kept me on many occasions from the regular menu. I can't recall ever disliking anything I've ordered, but some items are a little pricey.
I would recommend the butternut squash enchilada or the skirt steak. Both delicious. At the bar, the baja margarita (muddled with jalepeno) and prickly pear mojitos are amazing.
My new very favorite place to eat yummy warm food on a cold Seattle winter day.
I've had a few opportunities to prance my tastebuds around the menu and here are some favs
Chips and salsa to start with does cost you ($2.50 i think) but they are crisp and yummy, a little oily, but the salsa is fantastic
Steak salad- YUM, perfect amount of blue cheese, and the steak is cooked so heavenly
Smoke chicken quesadilla
So far all of the enchiladas, but I really like the spicy one with chorizo and chicken, the seafood one I wasn't a big fan of...
I know the butternut squash one is amazing because I tried a bit once, but I have a really problem ordering anything without meat on it, I just can't help feeling like I'm missing you, you know?
Plus the service, we tend to always get the same guy who remembers us and what we liked, etc, etc. He gives new input each time and you don't feel like he is doing a rehearsed shpeel for you.
AND its empty during the weekdays, so go down and see the pretty waters of Alki at its best in the winter (due to lack of millions of extra humans who flock there in the summer and ruin it for everyone) go inside and each some enchiladas to warm yourself up.
I love going to Cactus - when I can get in! This restaurant is very popular, and with good reason.
The food is decidedly not your typical slop-on-a-plate Mexican food - it's upgraded with creative touches and great flavors, without departing too much from classic Mexican. There are interesting vegetarian and vegan options, too, that aren't just non-meat versions that end up being beans and rice wrapped in a tortilla with some lettuce thrown in.
The drinks are excellent, and the service has always been stellar. The environment is a bit noisy - especially when it's busy - so not a great date location.
I've only been here for happy hour, so my rating is based solely on that. There are great values for happy hour from 3 to 5 p.m. -- house margaritas and mojitos are $5 and there is a limited menu of appetizers ranging from $2 to $6. Three alcoholic beverages, chips and salsa, a smoked chicken quesadilla and calamari came to $27 plus tax. We were thrilled because the quesadilla was not skimpy on the chicken -- it was stuffed and so were we. Cactus was a great place to catch our breath and refuel after a long, brisk walk along Alki Beach.
Headed off to Cactus, having never been there before, with the GF last Friday evening. It was suggested that Alki has the best decor, and it did look impressive. I can sense it would be a blast in summer with those great garage roller doors opening, with views directly across Elliot Bay.
Now ... food ... had the chicken chimi - was very good. Pastry was soft and not over-fried like many restaurants. GF had the chiken fajita what she thoroughly enjoyed.
Both of us had margaritas - and they were not that cheap watered down margaritas you find in typical mexican chain restaurants - full strength and good to the last drop.
Nice joint. Will return ...
Went here a few weeks ago. Had the Blue Corn Chorizo Enchiladas which were great along with a few Margaritas. It's little on the spendy side but it does have a nice view of the sound and it's a clean establishment.
Neighborhood: West Seattle
Category: Latin American
Neighborhood: West Seattle
Category: Bars
Neighborhood: Madison Park
Category: Tex-Mex
Neighborhood: West Seattle
Category: American (Traditional)
Neighborhood: West Seattle
Category: Restaurants
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