Was there good service love the atmosphere friendly nice helpful I would recommend this establishment for a gathering. Food was great I ordered green pork chili verde!!! Rice n beans were also good!! read more

This place is a machine. The actual size of the place is astonishing. Large double patio area. Bar. And then several rooms of indoor dining available. The food is Tex-mex and competes against some pretty stiff competition. I really liked my first visit here and would definitely be back. It was odd that we had two servers. We would order, then the second person would come to take our order. Someone checked on us, then immediately a second server would check on us. read more

Cactus Cantina - Filet mignon special fajitas - Tex-Mex Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Wow! I ordered for lunch. I could literally share this with my hubby! Smells great, presentation was beautiful! Guacamole was fresh! Easily a great meal! With some to share! I ordered through door dash but price was decent. Will definitely order again. Or happy hour one Friday at the actual location! read more

Cactus Cantina - Beef Quesadilla - Tex-Mex Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

All these items I had is what I usually get every time I go to Cactus Cantina. This restaurant is my go to in DC area! The ambiance is super cute and bright, very casual vibes. The service is always amazing- they're super fast and nice. I really recommend their churros- it's not crispy but very soft, chewy, and delicious. I like that it doesn't have the pungent old oil smell and taste. Very fresh! read more

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Excellent service and our food was amazing! We loved our dining experience! Definitely would recommend the margaritas!

Simply amazing. I've been going here (and to the sister restaurant in DC) for almost 20 years. The margaritas are outrageous. And the food is solid. read more

I had high hopes for Cactus Cantina and unfortunately they weren't even close to being met. First of all, I am not a fan of restaurants that only have happy hour at the bar. No bar seating = no happy hour for us. By not doing it for the full restaurant, they got a table full of waters from us instead. I ordered the spinach enchiladas. Should've listened to the reviews I read. Spinach was bland and over cooked, rice was hard as a rock. Only saving grace was the black beans which were savory and delicious. Our server was awkward, inconsistent, and stilted. Seemed like a one off though, everyone else was very friendly. read more

Cactus Cantina - Spinach enchiladas - Tex-Mex Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

The food was good, with decent portion sizes. My boyfriend got shredded chicken tacos and I got spinach and chicken enchiladas. He said the tacos were good- but they tasted like mine and I know how much it costs to make tacos. My enchiladas were delicious and full of chicken, but were something I can make and probably will. Would I go out of my way to come here? No, because I can pull off both of these dishes, but it's a convenient neighborhood spot. I am willing to try Happy Hour, and will report back on the beverages! read more

Huge portions, Great flavor, and a nice variety of food!!! You get your money's worth! read more

Cactus Cantina - 1/2 and 1/2 Fajitas with Chicken, Beef, and Vegetables. - Tex-Mex Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Fabulous food. Great service, attentive staff. Very accommodating of any request. Highly recommend!

Cactus Cantina is a DC institution. It's been one of the best Tex Mex spots around for decades, but it's really goong downhill lately I'm sad to say. Strange, rubbery meats, stale chips, wrong orders, etc. And that starts to make me concerned about food safety. I hope they right the ship and turn things around as it'd be tragic to lose them from the landscape. But I can't shake the feeling it's the beginning of the end. read more

Perfectly adequate Mexican cuisine in a huge dining emporium. I was here with for the first time many years with a large group after a ceremony at the National Cathedral. Chips with salsa and a spicy tomato were a good start. Half pitcher of frozen margarita was fine (boring beer list). Carne asada was delicious; beans and rice were OK read more

It's really hard to believe this is my first time reviewing Cactus Cantina given the fact that I've plowed through over 120 of their chip bowls in my lifetime. I came here on a very chilly COVID night with my crew of hysterical cats. We waltzed onto the patio waiting to get noticed by a mesero, but alas the waitstaff seemed like they wanted us as far away as possible which makes sense given the fact that I was bellowing my favorite seasonal tune "Christmas Shoes." So seat ourselves we did. We opted for the "enclosed" COVID friendly patio on Macomb street. I say "enclosed" because the window flaps were open and I desperately wanted to close them, as it was 23 degrees outside, so I tried to make "enclosed" happen. When our mesera finally came and asked me not to close the window flaps because that would make the space not COVID friendly, I expressed understanding, but was a little upset. I continued singing "Christmas Shoes" and announced that I wont be eating. So my fellow fatsos went ahead and gorged themselves on chips while I sat gloating. Mami ordered a house red (duh), cat 1 ordered a spicy Marg (gone in two seconds), grandma cat ordered a Pinot Grigio, and crazy cat 3 must've been on drugs because she ordered a FROZEN strawberry swirl marg. I then watched as everyone enjoyed their food -- app of chicken quesadillas for everyone except me (boring), shrimp tacos for cat 1 (healthy? -- that was the intent), shrimp gambas with a side of bread for cat 2/3, and a Single Crispy Ground Beef Taco for cat 3. I ordered a side of jalapenos to put in my wine. You should try it. Anyways, I could no longer hold off on not eating, so I ended up lapping up everyone's scraps. I made myself a nice Gamba Butter, sour cream, chip, discarded end of tortilla sandwich. I even slurped down some frozen margarita. In summary: standard, normally priced, unremarkable fare. read more

Cactus Cantina - Open window in COVID friendly patio enclosure - Tex-Mex Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

We really enjoyed the food and experience at Cactus Cantina. Reservations were helpful but they do have a very large outdoor seating area (covered and with heating lamps), as well as limited capacity indoor dining. The fajitas were really good and large portioned. Service and ambiance was enjoyable. We would return. read more

Cactus Cantina - Chicken and beef Fajitas - Tex-Mex Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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I actually cannot believe this is my 1st time reviewing my favorite restaurant in DC. Yes i said it. I have been coming here for years (dont want to say how long) ever since starting grad school at AU. I make a joke that I lived across the street from this spot for a reason...to be close to my love ( but i actually did) Well now to present. This week was my bday and asked my self where would i like to go. I havent been out in a long while ( thank you covid) and now that i am in arlington i wanted to see my old hood (cathedral heights ) and eat at my favorite place Why do i love it? So many reasons. Lets just say consistently: 30 years in business (not sure) and i walk in tonight greeted by the same manager as ten years ago. Do you now how rare that is in the restaurant biz? Consistent smiles, consistent fun vibe, consistent amazing fresh food. Food: yes the most important. The menu is so full, the flavor is so fresh and so vibrant. I love love vegetable fajitas because they are full of so many veggies; asparagus, corn on cob, cauliflower, broccoil, yum yum, huge sizzling plate, with rice and beans. I also adore their sunshine salad with avocoado, corn,oranges, peppers and the most delicious peanut dressing ever ! Their chips are light crispy, salsa is divine also ¨fresca¨. My friends ate their entire plate of shrimp fajitas and we all raved about the quality of the avocado and pico de gallo .I guess the theme is: fresh, flavorful,FUN!. Ambiance: The patio so nice on fall night with purple lights and everyone smiling (ahhh can awful angry mask faces be over?:) Service: The servers are always good, despite my ¨s.o.s¨ orders or, ¨can i get this instead of that,?¨ : very young, willing, attentive and kind. In summary, This is a happy delicious place where i take all my favorite people : family, friends. See photos, the color speaks for itself, I hope i will kids here one day ...or at least a puppy:) Enjoy but perhaps i should have not said anything so I can keep table 5 to myself...... read more

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Had higher expectations for Catcus Cantina. Server was obviously new and quite inexperienced. He took away the guacamole that came with my order. Food was alright and salsa was fresh. However, our virgin pina coladas were expensive and bland. I tried to ask our server to verify my dish on the menu but he was clearly overwhelmed. We had to flag down another waitress for help. Our frantic server asked us if we were finished with our meal while we were literally lifting food into our mouths. Really hope they can train their servers a bit better in the future so we can return happily. read more

Cactus Cantina - Vegetable Fajitas - Tex-Mex Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Inedible! Fish taco of gelatinous frozen fish with raw green pepper in a doughy "taco" served with white rice. Just a plate of tasteless mush read more

Great ambiance and service. a place to go and get apps and a couple drinks. The lomo saltado is their best dish; unfortunately it's only a brunch special. I just wish other food items had more SAZON (seasonings) for people with dietary restrictions this is a safe bet tho read more

Came here after visiting the National Cathedral- it's within walking distance! The place feels authentic and is decorated top to bottom! I lived in Texas for a while and this feels like I'm stepping into San Antonio or Austin! The service we got was excellent- Noah was our server and he was wonderful- he was nice enough to check if we could still get brunch even though it was close to the end of brunch time- and we still got brunch!! Get the large gauc!!!!! With your chips. The cheese is INCREDIBLY creamy! Brunch prices are VERY reasonable. read more

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Best in dc. A staple of the neighborhood that has catered to multiple generations of Washingtonians since the 90s. You will seldom meet a person who has lived in the Cleveland park/ cathedral heights/ Georgetown neighborhoods that doesn't rave about cactus. In a city plagued by transience, cactus has stood the test of time and is synonymous with the neighborhood and city. read more

This is a solid Tex-Mex place in the area. There isn't anything unique or innovative on the menu that I saw, but they make good food overall. Steak fajitas - Cooked and seasoned well. Ribs - Cooked well but the sauce was lacking flavor and I missed additional seasoning. Tortillas - Fresh and fluffy Chips - Thin and warm, not over salted. Salsa - Watery and low on flavor. Margaritas - On the sweet side, made from a mix, and $48 for a pitcher (ouch!). We had great service and even though it was over 90 degrees we didn't really notice it because their outside seating is covered and has fans, which is a real plus in my book. If they improve their salsa and add some unique things to the menu they could really be a go to in the area. read more

Just recently came from Texas area and this is the worst Tex-mex I've ever had. There's so much to say I'm just going to start from beginning to end. To start they didn't have a few beers on the menu but offered me DOS Equis which wasn't on the menu. Also asked for a beer Rita which they oddly didn't have so got something similar. Overall No biggie but than I get a drink with virtually no alcohol (supposed to be tequila) and a DOS Equis Amber especial which...yea it's the brand but very different to the original. Would have liked to known that's what I was going to get. But again still no biggie it's whatever. Ordered the Mexican nachos (app) along with the kids meals first so we can get them out quick. Kids meals come out and then two more things of chips and dip come out and then total of like 20 minutes later I have to ask the update on the app. When I get them every chip that has something on it is just like wet cardboard. Obviously they get like that after sitting for a bit but you don't get them served soaked, clearly they were sitting somewhere. Again at this point it's whatever just slightly bothered. The adults order and I specifically order a chicken fajita with refried beans. When I get my food for one it's not on a skillet at all which I've never seen a fajita come out that wasn't sizzling hot and on a cast iron skillet. It came out on some weird hard plastic that looked like a skillet but wasn't and than had a plate on top of that which held my food. Both of which where mildly warm. Very odd but still whatever. Upon looking at my food is when I started to be just done with the whole place. The peppers and onions were cooked for MAYBE a minute before they were taken off. They were barley warm. Never have I been ever to grab a vegetable off a fajita and hold it without burning my hand. Also I literally only got one insignificant sliver of a pepper. There was a cut up piece or two underneath the chicken but percentage wise of a pepper I think I got maybe like 5% of it. Also had garlic butter and a random grape tomato on the side and the pico was hot. Never had hot pico it was really gross and was hotter than the vegetables on my fajita. The chicken was not seasoned in the slightest, not even the basic salt and pepper nothing. The refried beans was watery and almost like a soup. The only thing you could really taste in it was the cheese. In general really disappointed but became disgusted when I saw there was a hair that wasn't mine underneath the chicken. My wife got something with flour tortillas and although she didn't complain I tasted them and they were extremely Doughy and tasted awful. And the Rice that I had gotten had a few chunks of the pepper with the seeds still attached to them. I pulled out two before I took a picture. Usually those are thrown out. I mean they're edible but it's just everything adding up. I asked for the check because I just wanted to get out of there. He then randomly started clearing off the table not even bothering to ask if we were done with anything. I was of course but I've never had a waiter not ask hey can I take this or are you done with that literally just started picking plates up like...k guess we're done. When He came back he was literally hovering over us waiting for us to give him the payment. Like awkwardly standing over my wife staring...waiting behind her. It was super weird so we quickly gave him our card just to get him away. When he came back with the check he asked why I ate nothing and I explained to him the hair issue. He very sternly asked why I didn't say anything to him as he took my plate and left. I took my card and than started debating what tip if any I should leave and than He came back and said he had it taken off...like ok....thanks but now my card has been charged twice. Wouldn't be an issue if it wasn't OVER $100 dollars. First was like $126, and next was like $100ish. Could have just given me the $26 dollars instead of me having to again deal with this issue in the future because I'm sure my money will not be refunded and I will have to reach out and contact them again. As we started getting up to leave my wife and I were discussing the overall experience and she mentioned that when we received the paper to tip he was awkwardly standing from a far literally peeking behind the wall looking at us waiting and watching for us to fill out the check. Not to mention we had seen somewhere that the kids could play with a ball of dough and they never even offered that. Unsure where I seen it and can't find it again so I won't hold that one against them. To reiterate this is the worst tex mex I've ever had and 1000% not worth the price. My expectations were not that high because I know I'm not in Texas, but I did expect basic stuff like no hair in my food and the fajita to be on a skillet. The food is incredibly overpriced especially for simple basic ingredients that cost next to nothing but charge you an arm and a leg for it. read more

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Came here tonight for dinner. Was craving some good Tex mex and I was very glad we picked this awesome place. Ambiance: loud, not super crowded, but still busy. Wooden decor with plenty of horse photos on the walls. Friendly attentive staff. Drinks: they have frozen and on the rocks margaritas. We opted for the pitcher. Decided to try the strawberry frozen one this time. The on the rocks is still my favorite by far Food: you can't go wrong with the Plato gordo. Serves 4 and you'll all leave super full. Plenty of beef, chicken, shrimp, ribs, veggies and all the typical fajita sides (guacamole, beans, rice, pico de Gallo) Love this place!! read more

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I drive by this place all the time and it is constantly packed with people sitting outside for happy hour/dinner. I gave it a try with some friends and thought it was solid- neither good nor bad. I ordered the shrimp fajitas and they were your typical fajitas, but pretty greasy. I think for the price you can get better Mexican cuisine in the DMV area, but if you sit outside it is a nice ambience. They do give you free chips and salsa, which is always great! Next time I'll have to try their margaritas bc they looked good too. read more

Cactus Cantina - Tex-Mex Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

This is our go to place for Mexican food. It's always very consistent. They serve up warm chips and tortillas, which are usually devoured by the time the food comes. You can't go wrong with the specials, especially the Lomo Saltado, Pollo Saltado and the Masitas de Puerco. The Fajitas are good too, but slightly more expensive. It's located in a family-friendly neighborhood north of Georgetown and has a nice expanded patio area. Great for kids. Highly recommend making reservations on weekends and warm days if you want to sit outside. read more

Amazing every time. I love the chicken and veggie fajitas. Their tortillas are always top notch

The grilled salsa was really good, but not too spicy. I ordered the Loredo platter and the two enchiladas,tacos, beans, and rice were delicious. The food, service, and ambience were amazing. read more

Love this spot! Great quality fajitas and the fresh tortillas made on premises are delicious. I love the frozen margaritas as well. Most of these Mexican spots can be grouped together as pretty similar in offerings and menu style but Cactus Cantina sits a bit above the rest because they are true QUALITY with tons of flavor which can sometimes be very hard to find. The service is pretty fast and parking can sometimes be challenging but just park at Giant and then stop by after dinner to get some groceries and validate your parking ;) I docked 1 star because depending on what you get, the portions can be small.. so that is one thing to keep in mind! The fajitas for 2 was somewhat on the smaller side seeing as it's being split for 2 but still very tasty nonetheless. read more

Cactus Cantina - chicken and steak fajitas for two! so good - Tex-Mex Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I had a great experience here. I sat at the bar and was greeted warmly by the bartender. I ordered a classic margarita which was made perfectly. I ordered a small shrimp quesadilla, beans and rice and I also had chips that came with salsa. Everything taste so fresh. The beans were hands down one of the best beans I have had. They do have bacon in them so just so you know if you don't eat pork. The staff were all friendly and the place was clean. I would recommend this place. read more

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I'll keep the beginning of this blunt - you don't go to cactus cantina for fine dining. That being said, that shouldn't mean that this isn't a fun, delicious night out. You just have to know how to best embrace it. Get that frozen swirl margarita, that extra guacamole and queso with your chips, and absolutely treat yourself with an upgrade to the carne asada fajitas. Bring 5 friends and take your time. There's a reason this place is huge yet always packed. On the outside, it's that very familiar "side of the road in whereversville" Tex mex joint that looks like it's russian roulette for your taste buds. But hold your assumptions about the sauce and cheese drowned dishes that tend to come with that territory - it's all that, but done tastefully with the options of lighter, brighter meals thrown in. Also hold your assumptions about how big this place is. Yes, it already looks large, but inside it's a maze of rooms and levels so be prepared to follow your hostess closely and quickly as she leads you to your table. This particular visit, my friends and I got half pitchers of the swirl (lime and strawberry) frozen margarita and lime on the rocks. Each half pitcher is about 3 1/2 to 4 mug's worth of margarita. For our chips, we decided to go all in and get guacamole and queso - they have a duo that is half the price of ordering each of these separately. A friend suggests dipping in queso, then dipping in the shredded cheese ;) I decided to get the shrimp tacos ($9.95), listed on "Saturday's Specials" insert. Not sure if the specials actually change, but I've been multiple times on different days and have always seen the same list. I have to say I thought the meal was a bit lack luster. I got everything promised in the description, I just expected more than just "shrimp and cheese on taco." Everything tasted good, but something simple like cabbage even would've made a huge difference. I ended up ordering a side of black beans. The taco itself seemed handmade and was thick and tasty, which was a nice touch. Cactus Cantina is a fun time where you can count on quality ingredients and a warm, relaxed environment. If you're looking for something consistent and solid, I definitely recommend it. read more

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Food used to be good but not anymore. Ordered the shrimp fajitas and sent them back. The shrimp and vegetables were raw and watery with no flavor. read more

I came in here happy hour with a couple of co workers, and with my vibes soaring high. Simply because of the fact that I am a fanatic when it comes to Mexican cuisine. Me and my co workers were seated promptly and then came the salsa and chips, glory be to yelp!!! this is my favorite thing about dining in Mexican Restaurants. If the salsa isn't right, Houston we have a problem. Thankfully the salsa and chips were sinfully delicious! to the point that I couldn't stop eating them, even after my food had come. I ordered two shrimp tacos as my main course, these tacos were booming with flavor and they came with a nice Peruvian verde sauce!!! Man oh man I must tell you that these tacos didn't last very long, and that they simply soothed my soul. The service was great and my waitress was on point, the salsa and chips were also solid, my meal took the homerun for victory, i'll be back soon! cheers to good eats! read more

Cactus Cantina - Delicioso! 'Shrimp Tacos' - Tex-Mex Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I keep wanting to like this place. But I can't. The service is pretty slow, the drinks meh, the chips and queso are not appetizing.

After a fun trip to the zoo, you ask what should you do? Eat of course at one of my Mexican cuisine new favorite spots, Cactus Cantina. If you like Lauriol Plaza you will love Cactus Cantina. It is further up the road but without the hassle and crowd from Lauriol and you can get the same kind of food and of course the famous swirl. The food in comparison to Lauriol is seasoned more, which made me clean my plate. If hesitant to try something new because Lauriol is your place to go, don't be, because you can still find some of your favorite dishes and many more. Sit outside on the patio and enjoy the view for a brighter atmosphere. Great kids menu and we loved the kid activity books, as a parent of boys sometimes just coloring isn't enough. The waiter was busy and over whelmed, possibly due to the holiday, so I would say go during non peak times. #fathersday2017 #cactuscantina #teamglennfuntimes #fallynsfoodieexcursions read more

I haven't been to this restaurant in many years but went for dinner last night. The food has really gone downhill. The ceviche tasted like it had been sitting in the fridge for a couple of days. It had zero flavour. The chili con queso was melted velveeta. I remember the chips and salsa used to be great. Neither were any good. read more

After walking around the grounds of the National Cathedral to view the gargoyles and grotesques, and since the weather on the first day of spring was fantastic, what did I do? I opened the Yelp App of course! Yelp really does enhance one's life. I found the Cactus Cantina, and a margarita sounded soooo good. Service was fast and attentive. Music was perfect and transported me to the beach. The Classic Margarita was good; I had two just to make sure. My food was great! The brisket tacos with grilled onions, cilantro, and avocado, the rice, the beans, and the chips and salsa were all divine. Portions are large, so you could share or take the rest to-go for later. read more

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Great Tex-Mex in DC. For carryout, we ordered the Sunshine Salad, Cantina Superior platter, Queso, and Rice and Beans as a side on Jan 29. Our order was ready and waiting for us at the scheduled time. Everything was fresh and delicious. It was nice that the grilled chicken and carne asada were not greasy, but grilled to perfection. I'd put this up against any plate of Tex Mex in the Lone Star State! read more

Great job for a party of 23! Food and drinks were great. Servers did very good work. Big parties can be really challenging but your staff handled it well. Thank you. read more

MID It smelled really good and it was really packed so we expected some good food, quite the contrary. Prices were intimidating, and surprising given the amount of families there.. we ordered chicken enchiladas and spinach enchiladas: everything was flavorless for some reason, the chicken tasted like a tortilla, the spinach was not cooked either. The only thing that gave my dish flavor was the cheese. We also ordered frozen lemonade, and our waitress brought it out late so it was half melted by the time we got it. Additionally, our food took over 30 minutes to get to our table, and we didnt order anything crazy either. Its just drunk people food. Save your time and money! read more

Great frozen maragaritas! The food and service are also great. We sat in the outdoor area and it was so warm and comfortable with their outdoor heaters. The outdoor space is set up well so you enjoy the city, but it feels separate from the street. read more

Cactus Cantina - Frozen strawberry margarita - Tex-Mex Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia