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    Cactus Cantina

    3.5 (964 reviews)
    Open • 11:30 am - 10:00 pm
    Updated over 3 months ago

    Cactus Cantina Photos

    Business Info

    CACTUS CANTINA ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Outdoor seating
    Happy hour specials

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    Recommended Reviews - Cactus Cantina

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    Annie S.

    This place is a staple! The queso, fajitas and virgin pina coladas are my favorite. Most recently, we ordered the gordo platter, which they say feeds 4 but it could feed 6. It is a combo of feef and chicken fajitas, costillas (B.B.Q. pork ribs), and camarones diablo (shrimp) with fresh flour tortillas, rice, guacamole, pico de gallo, Mexican rice and frijoles a la charra. You can add on cheese and sour cream and is ~$100 and such a good deal. Ambiance This place is huge! They have indoor and outdoor seating, perfect for larger groups. Outdoor seating is covered. Dog friendly.

    Lomo Saltado
    Rumesh V.

    It's been a while I went to this part of the town. My husband's Swiss club decided to celebrate their holiday dinner here. Well, I am not gonna say no to free dinner. I ordered frozen mango margarita with salt on the rim. It was good but I wish they served it in a regular margarita glass. They served it in a beer glass instead. They do have complimentary chips and salsa. Highly recommend mixing in some green habanero sauce with the salsa. It's so good. For the entrees, they have everything you could ask for in a Mexican restaurant plus a couple of Peruvian dishes. It has been a while since I tried the saltado so I ordered beef saltado. Huge portion of meat and veggies with fritas. Everything went really well. Saltados can be salty, but this was one was great. Highly recommend it. The beef was nice and tender. For desserts, my favorite - tres leches. Best desert ever. Couldn't go wrong with this one. Nice slice tres leches cake is what I needed to end this amazing dinner. The service was great. Server was one of the best. He was very helpful and quick in bringing out food and other things we requested throughout the dinner. Ambiance was great as well.

    rice, pool of melted cheese, elementary school taco, tomato and lettuce salad

    Most of the service staff was great, and seemed genuinely attentive. Others... not so much. They tried their best to fix my order, but there's really only so much they could do. On the plus side, if you're looking for nostalgia, start here. Are you craving the same hard tacos from elementary school? This is your place! Do you want a pool of melted cheese? Go here! Do you want the same food that your mom made in 1979 with recipes found in Sunset Magazine? This is where you should go. Do you want Mexican food with no spice, garlic, or other traditional Mexican flavorings? Then this place is definitely for you.

    Beef Fajitas for One
    Cheryl T.

    We stopped by on a Sunday for an early dinner. We had a party of 7 so we called ahead and made a reservation. Glad we did since this spot was pretty crowded when we arrived! The service was really great! They immediately brought our chips and salsa for the table and grabbed our drink orders. I was a big fan of the frozen lemonade. Very refreshing! We started with guacamole and queso. I didn't try the queso but it seemed like the whole table really enjoyed it. I loved the guacamole! For my entree, I ordered the beef fajitas and it was served with fresh flour tortillas, bell peppers and onions, guacamole, pico de gallo, Mexican rice and beans. My husband got one of the specials, the seafood enchiladas with shrimp and crab. We really enjoyed our meal! they were big portions so we were very full at the end and everything was seasoned and cooked really well! Would definitely come back here again

    Chirros
    James W.

    A rather nice Mexican place that offers great options at DC prices. They have fun quesadilla options like crab quesadillas, classic fare like enchiladas and tacos. I had tacos al pastor, and I was a little disappointed that they didn't have pineapple options, but their margaritas for $11 are pretty strong and good! The space is rather large, so it is easy for a big party to visit.

    Cactus Cantina, outdoor dining in November!

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    9 months ago

    Mediocre food and I ordered Hennessy and ginger ale and they gave me something else that gave me a headache.

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    11 months ago

    I love this place!!! Delicious! Fast service , pleasant environment and professional staff!

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    5 months ago

    Appetizers, food, and service are consistently good. Will not hesitate to visit again

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    1 year ago

    Great place! Awesome friendly service! Had some appetizers and a few drinks. Bartenders were super friendly and great service

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    Page 1 of 25

    Cactus Cantina Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Cactus Cantina

    Is the outdoor seating heated?

    Yes you can ask to seated outside in the tent. The heat is very strong. The only concern is the tent is completely sealed so there is no ventilation; as far as a avoiding COVID, if there are other diners you might as well be inside. However it is an… 

    Does Cactus Cantina have an allergy menu posted anywhere? Specifically interested in items without dairy and vegan dishes. Thanks!

    Yes

    View All 3 Questions

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    I WISH I lived in DC just so I could be a regular here. WOW. I was staying at SIXTY and asked the…read morefront desk where I could get a drink for the room, and they walked me over to Reynold's. The vibes were pretty fun, so I ended up drinking at the bar. Their $10 martini happy hour is insane! I got a pornstar martini and a truffle popcorn. OMG. Best pornstar martini I have had in my life, plus really cure glassware. The truffle popcorn was unbelievable and had fresh parmesan on it. YUM. I also tried the femme fatale and it was acidic and fruity and fantastic. I ended up also getting an espresso martini another night and it was iconic. Jay was my waiter and he is one of the best bartenders on this earth. He made drinks quickly, made sure everyone was having fun, and kept the vibes wonderful. He was absolutely amazing and was a big part of the reason I came back a second night in a row. His positivity and expert cocktail making skills make him the IDEAL bartender. This is a MUST SEE in DC! So fun!

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