Love love love this place still being from the area this was always a go to for me with all my besties. I have 6! lol Yesterday 3/15/26 I came in for dinner and to have my Favorite Margarita! Nuclear Marg! It's the best one in my opinion. What a wonderful time. The food is literally so good and I am a fan of Tex- Mex!!!!!! Great food Great Staff Oh and I love the old school bathtub with all the liquor!!!! Let's go Yaya's! Killing the game still over 10 years later!!!!!!! This place is a must if you go to Vancouver Wa!!!! read more

Cactus Ya Ya - Chips and Salsa and the bathtub!!! - Mexican Near Me - Vancouver, Washington

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Always worth the trip from SE Pdx Its like a 90's time capsule! Great double date space, happy hour can get loud. Lots of vegetarian options. Be sure and ask The black eyed peas bean dip is a fan favorite (Contains meat). read more

Cactus Ya Ya - Cool Neon - Mexican Near Me - Vancouver, Washington

Meh. Service was wonderful, but food was average. Chips were broken, cold, slightly stale and definitely out of a bag. Salsas, Sauces and salad dressing were tasty and unique. I can't speak for anyone else at my table but I ordered 1 fish taco with rice and bean, all items were room temperature, literally almost cold the rice was actually clumped together. The hard taco shell was not the crispy fried corn tortilla I expected but more like a cheaper version of a Taco Bell shell that was tasteless and slightly stale. With the exception of the taco shell I could tell the food would have tasted good if it was at hot. This restaurant definitely has a lot of potential but with the high cost of eating out, I'll be spending my hard earned money elsewhere. read more

Cactus has one of the best happy hours around! I've been going here for years and it's overall great, the staff is friendly and the place is fun. Definitely try the chicken ya ya rolls they are awesome & the peanut dip puts them over the top, the meat skewers are also great I get a chicken & a beef and then I'm full. The drinks are not expensive compared to most places. Go try their happy hour you won't be disappointed read more

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As a party of 6, two were children we waited over an hour to be seated. If you don't have seating for six tell me so I can decide whether to stay or leave. I will never bother stopping here again. The food was just OK. read more

I always order the chicken YaYa Roll. It's a must! Comes with the most delicious peanut sauce. Also the chicken skewers are big and tender, served with peanut sauce. You will receive immediately chips and salsa and a bean dip at no charge! Love this place! read more

One of our favorite places. Strong pours. Amazing ya ya rolls! Warms chips with refills and delish salsas.

Stopped in after picking our youngest son up from the airport. He lives in Hawaii and likes to eat Mexican food when he comes to the mainland. We are from San Diego and when I usually pick him up there I have a burrito in hand when he arrives. Being in Vancouver and it was late this was what we could find open that wasn't fast food. He was quite happy. read more

Cactus Ya Ya - Chile Relleno with rice and beans - Mexican Near Me - Vancouver, Washington

Amazing service by Ashley, great food and the place is clean. We will definitely be back and highly recommend.

Ordered the skewer platter. I like it better than the fajitas because there are way less onions and bell peppers. It came with some... peanut sauce. I don't think it was a mole as much as a... savory jam? Tasted fine but probably one of those moments in a reality TV cooking competition when the judges advice the contestant not to add superfluous things to the dish. I got three skewers: 1 shrimp, 1 chicken, and 1 beef. I found them all to be really tasty. The cook on them had a good sear. Not dry nor chewy. I enjoyed the sides of rice and beans as well AND I especially enjoyed the free chips and salsa for the table. The chips are on the thicker side. The salsa is about as mild as you could make it. Some other items on the menu didn't seem to be a big hit for the company I dined with. The burrito in particular was a miss. The sauce fell a little flat. I think it was enchilada sauce on the burrito cause it wasn't really any distinguishable type of salsa. The ambience is a little dark. Teetering on the side of "what are they trying to hide" as opposed to atmospheric. It's a great place to come for tex-mex! read more

The serving staff is very friendly and accommodating. They make good suggestions and adjustments when people have dietary restrictions. The menu is varied and it is pretty easy to find something one can eat when they are restricted on dairy and gluten. The atmosphere is nice and the prices are reasonable. read more

The chips where very well seasoned i enjoyed the salsa not to spicy not to bland. I ordered the nachos it was very enjoyable. Our waiter was very attentive and friendly. The service was excellent. The ambience wasn't that good honestly i didn't like the lighting or outdated decor. read more

Cactus Ya Ya - Rory Rodger's soda - Mexican Near Me - Vancouver, Washington

First time to Cactus Yaya. I'm giving this place a 3 ONLY because our waitress was so kind, attentive and friendly. The place was uniquely decorated, definitely gave you some conversation. A few good things, my Chimichanga with shredded beef was delicious, my husband enjoyed the chips and salsa. His chili replenished was also fair. We're both Hispanic and we know only homemade is best, but the food was ok. Everyone I will say has their own palettes and favorite places, and so I would say, give them a try and see what you think. A friendly atmosphere for sure. read more

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I came back here again for their Baja fish tacos and their steak tacos. It's definitely my favorite spot for Baja fish tacos. The fish is crispy and light, good portion size of fish. Good toppings with the crema, pico de gallo and lemon. The steak taco is good too. Good amount of steak and thinly sliced. It came with guac, sour cream and pico. The Mexican rice was a bit on the dry side for me. Beans were decent. We also got some chips and salsa, it came with warm chips, a tomato salsa and a bean salsa. The tomato salsa had a slight spice to it and the bean salsa used black eyed peas which was delicious. What I love about this place is that I have only ever had to go here and the fish tacos are still crispy and not soggy by the time I eat it. read more

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Decided to dine in here for the first time and it was delectable :p The ambience was dark and mysterious once we walked in; so we asked to dine in outside and it was awesome. They had a nice fireplace & every table has a little umbrella :,) It was adorable! I ordered the Shanghai burrito which is a vegetarian option but I asked to add chicken and it was soooo good! The rice and beans were awesome as well. I also ordered the mango smoothie and it was great! Such a refreshing drink. All in all, I had a great time here and will definitely come back! read more

Cactus Ya Ya - * Shanghai Burrito * Mango smoothie * Complimentary chips & salsa * - Mexican Near Me - Vancouver, Washington

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Don't get me wrong, if you like a sports bar/Mexican restaurant mashup this is definitely your place. However, not what I was in search for with my 78-year-old mother, her cousin, and his wife in tow. The atmosphere is very dimly lit so if you were over a certain age, you're going to need to pull out your Apple phone and switch on the flashlight to read the menu. The food offerings are fairly run-of-the-mill American-Mexican. You can get the usual combo platter of enchilada and taco. I didn't see that there was a signature dish so I went with a green chili enchilada and Carne Asada taco. They were both fairly flavorful. A little over sauced and cheesey. Service was attentive enough but not overly friendly. Given that I don't think we were their ideal customer since only two of us were having a single margarita they knew we would probably leave as soon as we were done eating. Overall nothing particularly wrong with the experience. Just not something I would go back for. read more

Didn't like the first time I went here but came back for a second look and was very pleased to find a cool bar and good food, great service by friendly people who know their job. Ya Ya rolls, fish tacos, burritos, they are all above the standard HH slop I've endured around the Couve.. Try it and see if you agree.. read more

Excellent service- amazing food & those delish margs! I comforted for happy hour and will say that I typically get the Philly- this was excellent however! Great suggestion :) read more

Cactus Ya Ya - This is a lunch special for $13 dollars! Really delish! - Mexican Near Me - Vancouver, Washington

Service was great - food good - happy hour food- drinks are a bit too expensive. You have to bring people in- provide a couple happy hour drinks. read more

This place is awesome! Ashley and Mariah are two of the best servers I've ever had. Incredible happy hour. Great drinks. One of my favorite places in Vancouver! read more

Renae (or Rene I'm not too sure how she spells it) is absolutely wonderful. I've come here twice and each time I have been blessed enough to receive her service. She is kind, accommodating, funny and professional. Amazing waitress and So tentative. Also, best drinks in town. Thank you Renae and Cactus Yaya read more

We used to love coming to Cactus Yaya with friends but they moved away and we had not been in YEARS before tonight...imagine our complete delight to learn that it is still family-owned, the food & drinks are still just as amazing as we remembered, and the service was spectacular - thank you, Ashley!!! We shared our old classic favorites (halibut fish tacos & steak salad) - which were quite possibly even better than we recalled - and the best (Nuclear) margaritas we have had in ages! We were also reminded how much we loved the chips & salsa and black-eyed pea dip - the whole experience brought us back 15+ years in the best possible way. All in all, Cactus YaYa is a rare gem and we can't wait to come back soon! read more

DONE GOING HERE. Firstly the older blonde lady (maybe the manager), does not like to serve anyone except the bar regulars. She ignores the heck out of you, but constantly helps and chit chats to the bar flies. It's very irritating, with the long waits for a drink while she gushes over the old men. Also it's always been friendly girl waitresses, but lately the people serving have been really rude and short. What happened to this place?! Secondly, the food quality has gone down hill, the portions have become much smaller, but the prices have consistently gone up. Too many cool new restaurants trying to gain customers with reasonable prices and appropriate portions in Vancouver these days to go back to old cactus. read more

Glad that I tried this place for the first time. It was a busy Friday night and the place was packed. The menu accommodates vegetarians. Great selections of food from light to heavy portions. It was a busy night so food took a little longer to come out. It can also be loud so be prepared to talk louder. Parking can be a huge challenge so allow plenty of time. I'm very pleased with my experience although I'll try coming here on not so busy days next time. Definitely coming back! read more

Cactus Ya Ya - Mexican Near Me - Vancouver, Washington

This was our first time going to cactus Yaya and I must say we were very disappointed. We each had steak fajitas and the meat was so tough. We couldn't eat it. The best thing on our plate were the beans. Needless to say we won't be going back. read more

Hands down my favorite restaurant in the Couve! The servers are fantastic, every single gal is amazing! The owner is hands on, kind and keeps things consistent. They have an eclectiv menu but I love that. Also their margaritas are amazing!! read more

Best Tex-Mex in the area. This NOT a true Mexican restaurant so don't expect it to be. Tried and true menu choices include Chicken Ya Ya Rolls, Halibut Fish Tacos(soft shell), Fish and Chips, fajitas, tortilla soup (though a little salty). Their salads are great, good cold beer and an excellent bar with a happening space inside and out with a great fun vibe. Best hard working owners and wait staff in the area. Some of the best complimentary chips and salsa and black-eyed pea dip (not refried beans) arrive seconds after you are seated. Has been our go to for 25 years. read more

I can't believe I never knew about Cactus Yaya. What a fantastic local neighborhood restaurant with excellent service and great food. I personally like the pastas but all the options are excellent and priced very fairly. One of the best secrets are that their Margaritas are $10.50 or so and extremely well made; pronounced strong. All in all if you've driven by and never stopped by this place, you are missing out! read more

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I came here some years back and all I could remember were the steak taco's. They were delicious and I can't understand what took me so long to come back. Well upon my return of course I ordered them again, and they were well worth the wait. The cut of steak used, the seasoning, the tortilla, and just the overall total package is special. It's a small spot but definitely worth the visit. I will be returning. Staff and customer service was also on point. read more

Cactus Ya Ya - These steak tacos are a true blessing and you won't want to miss them. - Mexican Near Me - Vancouver, Washington

My friend and I stopped in here to have a bite to eat before we went to a Christmas party. It took quite a while for a server to come over to us. They were very busy. The hostess brought us water chips and salsa pretty quickly. Also they're hot spicy bean dip. I like that! The chips were crunchy and the salsa was tasty. We ordered Yaya rolls. Mine was the steak and pepper jack cheese. My friend got the chicken peanut role. The rolls were filled pretty nicely with good ingredients. Mine came with sour cream and guacamole, both fresh and tasty. We each had a cocktail. The server was attentive, after she came to us, and took care of our table. We did have to get up and ask for the check because we had to leave. This is a local spot and is usually always busy. Hadn't been here in a while. Probably will return soon. read more

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I'm sorry to say this because the restaurant is kinda cute and the server was very warm and kind, but the happy hour burger was the worst burger I have ever had in my life. It was like chewing on a half pound rubber tire and there was no salt or seasoning or flavor at all. I've had bottom shelf frozen discount patties that were better quality than this travesty. I could barely eat half before I gave up, and I didn't want to take home the rest (even though I hate wasting food) but I know the dogs wouldn't have eaten it. Please get better beef that doesn't have the texture of a yoga mat--until then, it's more like Cactus Na Na. :( read more

Excellent food, but the servers are what makes this place special. It makes for a great vibe.

I've been coming to this restaurant for decades lol and I don't care if this makes me sound old! This is a neighborhood spot. If you're from Vancouver you know it's all about the yaya rolls! (The peanut chicken is where it's at!!!) On this particular trip, my mom and I made a point while she was vacationing back home to hit one of our favorite spots in the 'Couve! I wanted to try something I don't always have here So I tried the fish tacos with a side Cesar add bay shrimp and YUM! I have yet to have something here I don't love. I also recommend the tortilla soup which is so rich and flavorful on a dreary day. My mom loves their mashed potatoes! She wasn't that hungry but had enough room for some side taters! Haha Thanks Cactus yaya for being a consistently great place to enjoy a unique and delicious meal. read more

Cactus Ya Ya - Fish tacos with side Cesar add shrimp - Mexican Near Me - Vancouver, Washington

I haven't eaten here in several years! I've moved so it was nice to revisit while visiting family. My brother used to work as a food prep person there - so, it has lots of memories and we frequently ate here. This visit I stopped in with my daughter who lives nearby. We stopped in for a quick meal before she had to work. She had some delicious soft tacos and I had the garlic mashed potatoes!! We dined on the patio because it was a pleasant evening. Our server was a young man that was very helpful and prompt in his service of the tables! I will be sure to stop back in while back in August!! Thanks Cactus YaYa for the great food and memories!! read more

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Ashley, our server, was absolutely amazing! She recommended the steak tacos, and they were phenomenal--great choice! The happy hour offerings are fantastic as well. We're excited to make this a regular spot! read more

Amazing atmosphere and sweet staff but y'all have to mix the McCormick packets better. I could smell it in my fajitas and basically see clumps of the Tex mex seasoning! read more

My family and I ate here and wow! The service was fast and very friendly. I couldn't make up my mind on what I wanted and the waitress gave me her recommendation, (Baja fish tacos) and they were excellent! And I'm a southern Cali native! So, I didn't have much expectation to begin with. The drinks were great, the chips and salsa were very good. My family from out of state is excited to come back for more. read more

I've driven by Cactus Ya Ya for years and never stopped to eat there. Partly because of the name. I was reading the Columbian and they had a nice article on Cactus Ya Ya being in the Couve for 25 years. https://www.columbian.com/news/2019/mar/31/cactus-ya-ya-celebrates-its-silver-anniversary/ Any place that can stay in business for 25 years has to be worth a try. My wife and I dropped in for Happy Hour and really liked the place. I had the salmon taco and it was pretty good. I ordered a Cadillac (Nuclear) margarita and it was awesome. The wait person was excellent. So don't let the funky name keep you from eating here. It's definitely worth checking out. It's got a great Couve vibe. read more

Cactus Ya Ya - HH bar menu - Mexican Near Me - Vancouver, Washington

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Delicious food - as always! Huge thank you to Ashley (our server) She was AWESOME! We really appreciated her! Kept our drinks filled and gave us great tips about the menu. Can't wait to go back!!! read more

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Good food, good drink, good people. One of our favorite spots for years! The skewers with peanut sauce, and get a salad there, the best.