This place is absolutely amazing! I stop by in the mornings for breakfast, and everything is always delicious--the burgers are incredible as well! Huge compliments to whoever is in the kitchen; they truly know what they're doing. The old café atmosphere is just as impressive--it has such a warm, welcoming feel and really captures that authentic New Mexico charm. I always enjoy my time here and highly recommend it to anyone looking for great food and a great vibe! read more

We visited on a Saturday afternoon after several hours of hiking and are so glad we made the stop for lunch! It makes sense that because this is the only restaurant in the area, it was crowded and people were waiting (so keep in mind if you go you need to be patient and prepared to wait). You could tell the friendly staff was working as quickly as possible, so it took a bit for them to come to the front to put our name down, but the waiting area is spacious and the air inside felt nice. Once we were seated, the service was excellent. Someone immediately came to take our drink orders and then shortly after that we ordered food (which came out quick and was absolutely delicious). The portions were big and we loved the green chili burger and fries- I would definitely go back if in the area again and would recommend! read more

Cactus Cafe - Green chili burger and fries - American Near Me - White's City, New Mexico

Stopped here after camping 4 nights at Guadalupe Peak for breakfast. It was a Wednesday morning and not very crowded, which I enjoyed being sat right away with coffee ordered. It is a cool little place off the road towards Carlsbad Caverns. The coffee was hot and hit the spot. The menu was scaled back with only a few options, so we both got the burrito with sausage and the other with chorizo. It is a good sized burrito, but I ate the whole thing. If I come back, it will be the green chili burger. read more

Cactus Cafe - Chorizo, egg, hashbrowns burrito - American Near Me - White's City, New Mexico

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Although the team was running a little late on opening this was solid visit...Super friendly staff and a great interior space. Wife had a 2 egg scramble with bacon and Hashbrown....along with a single serve of French Toast....I had the same with SSU eggs with toast....we both split a half order of biscuit and gravy....everything was tasty and hit the spot.. read more

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Service was sweet. Fries were phenomenal! Hot & crispy! Burgers and chicken sandwiches hit the spot after seeing the Caverns down the road. read more

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We were staying at Whites Inn just a street over for our vacation and had the opportunity to eat here one day, and then decided to again the next because it was very good! The place was small and not crowded for breakfast both days, but we also went less than an hour after they opened in the morning. The wait staff were all very nice and friendly! They didn't have chocolate chip pancakes on the menu, I will definitely recommend they consider adding it, but they offered to put some on for my son... it tasted just like a cake! So good! Everything we had was delicious! My wife had one of their breakfast sandwiches, I had French toast, we had waffles and bacon, and the sausage was very good too! Food was an easy 5*. The pricing was not bad at all! I think we paid $50? $60 for 4 ppl, which on vacation isn't bad at all! The only thing I would say negatively, and it's not even a bad thing persay... tone down or change whatever they use to sterilize the bathrooms, VERY over powering! read more

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Cactus Cafe has absolutely amazing food! I had the Coffee Burger, which was the freaking best. There was only one waitress on and she was being run crazy, but she still kept up her great smile and her great setvice. Cactus Cafe has the cutest enviroment/ ambience as well. I would definately go back!!!! read more

Cactus Cafe - Cactus Cafe has the cutest bar stools! - American Near Me - White's City, New Mexico

Service is a bit mean and the inside of the restaurant is sad. The whole place smells bad. Hours are pretty rough with the place closing at 3 pm and last sit down service is at 2:30 pm. Not sure why they do that outside Carlsbad caverns where visitors are steady throughout the day. The food is pretty excellent and fries are some of the best we have had. The Buffalo truffle burger was awesome. The chicken sandwich with jalapeños and bacon was good. read more

Cactus Cafe - Buffalo truffle burger....GREAT! - American Near Me - White's City, New Mexico

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Decided to try this place instead of eating in the park. The hostess profusely apologized that there would be a 20-30 minute wait since they only had one cook that day. We're used to that being from Houston, so we didn't mind the wait! When we were seated, we all decided to get a variety of their burgers, and we weren't disappointed!! Honestly my burger (the BBQ bacon burger) was one of the best I've ever had!! The staff were also all amazingly kind and considerate. Don't let the wait time deter you from eating here. It's worth it! read more

Cactus Cafe - Bbq bacon burger - American Near Me - White's City, New Mexico

Good food and nice waitstaff. Clean bathrooms and area. Very yummy quesadilla and burger. The fries were delicious. read more

Cactus Cafe - American Near Me - White's City, New Mexico

I had Amber as my waitress and she was a very kind woman. I had the breakfast burrito and they were very accommodating to my restriction to red meat. When I asked for hot sauce she said she didn't have any but said she had some in her personal supply and gave me some from there. Amazing genuine service and decent food, better than I expected from a place such as this. I recommend the burrito for breakfast but not sure how everything else is. read more

food was amazing!! the hot honey chicken sandwich was AMAZING!! We definitely recommend

This is currently the only place to eat in Whites City. Because of this, they have the market and grossly overprice basic food. They are currently only open for breakfast and lunch 6 days a week til 3p. We went in at 2p on a week day and only a couple locals were in there. The lady who sat us was unfriendly and unwelcoming. I ordered a $14 Cobb salad which was mostly toppings with little lettuce. The cheeseburger and fries were extremely basic. The winner was the truffle burger and truffle fries. It seems that they keep changing (and downsizing) their menu. The menu posted on Yelp 11 mos ago is much smaller than what they offer now, which was also smaller than the menu a couple years ago. I recommend driving 30 min into Carlsbad or eating at the national park visitors center. read more

The Whites City web site boasts that this place has a new chef and a new menu, so I went in with the hope that the food here had finally be elevated out of the mediocrity that it has wallowed in for my entire lifetime. Sadly, that was not the case, because either the new chef is on vacation and no one else who works there is actually capable of cooking, or the new chef has already quit. The menu we were handed was the old one-page menu of basic American and Mexican dishes that they've been serving for the last 30+ years. The only interesting thing about this place is the old-fashioned Western decor at the entrance. However, any welcoming decor is overshadowed by the disgusting smell the permeates the restaurant. It reeks of sewer and bleach water, like these people have never heard of room sprays and plug-ins. The food isn't much better. You know it's going to be bad where there are no options for side dishes. The fries are described on the menu as being battered, but they're standard frozen foodservice fries. Their beans look like they're pintos straight from the can. These same beans are used in the bean and cheese burrito, which would probably honestly taste better if it was actually one of the pre-made frozen ones. The burger is a frozen patty that tasted odd, worse than a school cafeteria burger. As for the chicken fried steak, well, don't be expecting any of those massive ones that you'd get from Mary's in Strawn or many of the other Texan cafes known for this dish. This one is made from the burger-sized chopped steak patties from the grocery store, and is topped with thin, bland gravy. The only food that seemed reasonably acceptable was the crispy tacos (made with pressed shells, of course) and grilled cheese. This place only gets away with serving food this terrible because it is basically the only option for people from El Paso who travel to the Caverns, since driving into Carlsbad proper is almost an hour round trip. I would love to see another restaurant go on nearby. Anything. THE CAVERNS HAVE THEIR OWN RESTAURANT THAT CLOSES AROUND 2. read more

Listen... if you order basic b*tch food, don't expect to get anything beyond basic b!tch taste. This place is great at a few things and caters to needy tourists in others. I am sure the owners do not want to have to keep beef fajitas or plain Jane breakfast staples on the menu, but to keep the Karen's at bay they do so. The southwest style items (the menu items with green chili offered) are fantastic. This is where this little gem shines brightest. The breakfast burrito is hands down the best I have had in my long life of ordering all the burritos. Do yourself a favor: if it is something you would order at Chili's or Denny's skip it. You can order that bland sh!t when you get back home silly. Also, here is an old servers trick: if you are ever in doubt, ask the servers what they recommend, what they like to eat. They know what's up. My only complaint is that they do not have the correct hours of operation listed. This was especially rough because we drove in expecting to have dinner here but we had to improvise. The current hours are 7-3 pm. Just be sure to call if you are planning a trip to confirm the hours available. And if you are staying in the area don't fret. The portions are enough to fuel you through the caves and have enough leftovers for dinner. read more

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The Classic burger and the steak basket were delicious !!!!!! Great service and that food hit the spot after exploring the caverns Please support them !!! read more

The menu is limited. They did not have the salad bar, which it did say seasonal, but only summer time. There were a few things they were out of also. The staff were very friendly. There are leather art work and gorgeous stained glass windows. The quesadilla is enormous. My husband got the fish and chips. read more

For the only restaurant in town and the prices this was a steal! Beef fajitas double rice was amazing and they have great ranch for fries as well. Good homemade desserts as well. A read more

Cactus Cafe - American Near Me - White's City, New Mexico

This place is the place to stop before and/or after your visit to the caverns! Our group had the kids chicken strip(delicious!), the Caesar salad (so good!), harsd shell ground beef tacos, rice and beans (tasty! ), and the cobb salad with bleu cheese dressing (most excellent!) The unsweetened iced tea was so yummy! I don't think you could go wrong ordering anything off the menu! Our server was a very nice young lady (I sadly did not ask her name to add to this review) she was very knowledgeable and had an outstanding attitude. read more

Cactus Cafe - American Near Me - White's City, New Mexico

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In need of a quick snack before going back up to the bat flight program at Carlsbad Caverns, Cactus Cafe was the only restaurant open within a half an hour of the National Park. We shared the taco plate ($8.99): three ground beef and cheese tacos with refried beans and rice and washed it down with a huge Pepsi ($2.49). The tacos were not bad. It came with all the necessary condiments too: lettuce, tomato, guac, sour cream and salsa. It was pretty evident the refried beans were straight outta the can and topped with some melted cheese, but I didn't mind. Service was fast! I felt bad for our server, who was the only one there (minus the cook in the back, but maybe she was that too)! She was server, busser and cashier...and really had a very good (errrr, mellow) attitude about it! 2.5 stars overall. read more

Cactus Cafe - taco platter - American Near Me - White's City, New Mexico

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Service was great. I had enchiladas that were heavily peppered. The cheese wasn't melted. It was like they weren't even trying. My friend had a half wedge salad that was too salty. And this came with a hefty price. I realize that this was a tourist trap, but they could still do better! read more

Didn't even get to actually eat here. Very slow service. Waited for almost half an hour before asking how much longer for our food and was told they have no more chicken. No one even came to tell us this. Then waited another half hour when we noticed people came in after us got their foods before us. So we left. read more

Came here today after visiting the Carlsbad caverns (it's literally your only option). The service was fine, the waitress was nice & polite. The restaurant was completely empty when we walked in, the outside entrance actually faces the side parking lot, so we almost didn't come thinking it was another closed, run down business in the area. The outside isn't very appealing or welcoming looking. The food was mediocre at best. I ordered the chicken fajitas, which were good. The tortillas were a little on the hard side, but fine. My daughters got a hamburger & the taco plate. The hamburger was salty and really over cooked, and the tacos were good. I'd recommend not ordering the burger if you eat here. Not a bad option, and I'd probably go back if I was hungry and in the area. However, my expectations would be lower. read more

An hour and a half to get a very average meal when there were but 5 people in the place. Wrong dish came, 90 minutes since I arrived solo and I am still waiting for the check. And did I mention overpriced. I am sensing a lack of pride in this business, they are resting on the fact that there aren't many cafes around. read more

We stopped here after visiting the cave and it hit the spot! We ordered the Barque Bacon burger and the steak fingers! Would recommended both and get again. Kind of pricy but expected it to be based on location. Waitress was friendly, cool art on the wall and fun bar stool chairs - great for a photo opp. read more

Food was bearable. My husband said that the chicken steak fry was oily. My grilled chicken and veggies were okay. Mashed potatoes were like boxes mashed potatoes. The service was dry and borderline rude read more

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This restaurant is really your only option right outside of Carlsbad Caverns. There is also the cafe at the caverns themselves. The menu isn't very extensive but the food we ordered (bean & cheese burrito and veggie burger) were just fine - nothing amazing but perfectly fine for a lunch after a day at the caverns. Our server was very nice and attentive. The table wasn't cleaned before we sat down though. Overall, perfectly fine place to stop for lunch just don't expect anything more than cafe-type food. read more

Cactus Cafe - Menu - American Near Me - White's City, New Mexico

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Food wàs old, greasy, not fresh at all.. took about 2 minutes for all 3 plates to come out. Would not recommend at all. read more

This is not your typical roadside diner! We had a wonderful poblano burger, truffle fries, and a Nashville Hot chicken sandwich, all of which were fantastic! Worthy of Diners and Dives show. Staff very friendly and helpful to boot. read more

We got a couple breakfast burritos with chorizo to go from the here while visiting Carlsbad Caverns National Park. It was tasty and filling. This is the only restaurant in Whites City. You may want to check operational hours cause it doesn't operate daily read more

Cactus Cafe - Breakfast Burrito with Chorizo - American Near Me - White's City, New Mexico

This is a little gem in the southeastern New Mexico desert. Also a great place for lunch after a trip to the famous Carlsbad Caverns. Today I ordered the vegan hamburger with fries: delicious. My sister had the Cobb Salad with blackened chicken. I will try to post photos of those lovely dishes. read more

Cactus Cafe - Vegan burger and fries. - American Near Me - White's City, New Mexico

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Stopped here after a hike at Guadeloupe Mountains. I got a veggie burger (an average black bean burger) with friends that were heavily breaded. We came an hour and a half before close (3) but it took so long that our food came out ten minutes before close which made the experience a little awkward and rushed. The server gave us the ($6) chips and salsa we ordered and said that that was all the chips they had left which was a small amount, however she ended up waving it off the check. Customer service was average except for the woman with the black and white hair (didn't see a name tag) - even though we weren't her table she checked in multiple times and always had a smile and was helping all the other workers more than anyone else. The decorations were very cute and touristy. One more thing to add is there was loud, sick sounding wet coughs coming from the kitchen. Overall, if I am in the area I may come back but it probably wouldn't be my first choice. read more

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We stopped for lunch here after the caverns. It was okay. It was pretty pricey for what we ordered. My chicken strips were SO salty and had like three tablespoons of pepper. I had to peel off the breading. My kids had hamburgers. They were fine but had too much pepper for my 5-year old son. Food took a while. read more

Quick service and reasonable price considering they're the only place for miles around to get breakfast.

Popular location because of its vicinity to Carlsbad Caverns but it's very mid. Chicken strips were good, but way too overpriced. That's why I'm giving it 3 stars. read more

Cactus Cafe - Buffalo Truffle Burger & Chicken Strips - American Near Me - White's City, New Mexico

Giving this a 4 for service and good coffee. Ordered 2 coffees and 1 basic breakfast of scrambled eggs, hash browns, toast, and 2 strips of bacon. Left a $7 dollar tip so total bill = $28 Pretty pricey. Scrambled eggs were cooked like an omelet. Couldn't eat all the hash browns as they had way too much pepper for me. The service was fast and wait staff very pleasant. Cafe has character also with the western decor. Don't plan on being back this way but if we did, we would try lunch read more

The food was ok, filling but not terribly exciting. Service was not great and it took an hour to get our food. The employees didn't seem to enjoy working there and it was empty so I'm not sure why they were so worn out. Queso with Chorizo was delicious! read more

This was so cute! Good food, friendly service. I got the Blueberry Feta burger (or some variation on that name), and it was delightful. My dad got the Surf n' Turf burger and said it was good. Great place to refuel after adventuring at one of the national parks. Family friendly, all around good experience! Would love to come back for breakfast sometime. read more

Cactus Cafe - Blueberry Feta burger! - American Near Me - White's City, New Mexico

It's as bad as everyone claims it is. There's nothing around, so it's either this or the restaurant at the cavern. Although I haven't tried the one at the cavern, I wish I did. Cactus Cafe will close eventually. That's the only good thing about it. read more

They made the best hamburger and fries I have had in years. We are looking forward to going back to try breakfast.