Well those were some delicious lamb birria tacos! Served with slightly sweet pickled red onion lime and two salsas on the side. I also try the beans and rice also very flavorful. They were out of the chicken soup so the owner brought me out a bowl of birria soup and chatted with me about how it is made. They are very proud of their food. Love the vibe. read more

Chiles rellenos was the special today! Fantastic as always. Everything at this place is always fantastic. The owner is a wonderful cook as a friendly man. The new porch seating is pleasant. A quiet, worthy establishment. read more

See all

The best tacos I have had! Surprising find with great vibe and amazing, welcoming service! Definitely recommend!

I can see why every single review of this place is a 5/5. It was outstanding. Not only did we see and meet some locals who clearly come often, the proprietary was so lovely and helpful and very knowledgeable about his food. We had the lamb birria tacos and the Cuban sandwich and both were incredible. They were so good, I was giddy to have leftovers. I don't normally do salsa because I unfortunately have a very low spice tolerance, but the salsa that came with the Cuban was smokey and complex, without a bit of spiciness, highly recommend. Inside was small, incredible clean, a few pretty basic booths and tables. You order at the counter and then Bernardo brings it right to your table with lots of great details about how everything was prepared. The locals who were there come weekly and I can see why!! read more

I didn't take a picture, but I got a ground lamb burrito. It was a bit different than a typical burrito but very good. I'm going to go back to have something different. I do believe that the tortillas aremade there because they were so soft and delicious. read more

Absolutely delicious vegetarian (beans, cheese , oyster mushrooms and cauliflower) gorditas!

Just Wow. And I don't say that lightly. Kind of a dumpy looking place. Son and I went there because of the ratings. After our first bites, we literally looked at each other with "Holy Moses!" in our eyes. This is the real deal. Down to earth folks. Stupid good food. Plan on coming back to this area JUST for this food! Fonda Cactus - Don't. Change. A. Thing. read more

Best burritos I've ever had. We have tried almost everything on the menu and haven't been disappointed.

Just got back from visiting here for the first time. We loved it! The food is truly special (especially for this area, as stuff like this is pretty hard to come by here). Everything is made in house, with high-quality, authentic ingredients. The menu may seem intimidating for those unfamiliar with this kind of food, but it's very simple once you get a feel for it. We had a party of five including my wife, mother and I, who are all pretty adventurous diners, and another couple who are a little more picky. The three of us had a hard time deciding because it all looked so great! Really, I could throw a dart and hit anything on the menu and be happy. We went with the quesabiria, a chorizo torta, and the carnitas chalupa, and the chicharron starter. They were all so so so good. We loved them. The portions were huge too. So we had plenty. Also for you beverage lovers like me, there's self serve sodas, tea, and horchata. No alcohol however. Our picky friends went with a chorizo burrito, which he was very happy with. And chorizo tacos which the owner was so helpful (if a justifiably reluctant) to tailor to her American taste. He was kind to do so and she loved it. That brings me to my only nitpick, which is so small, is that the owner is almost too helpful. He was so friendly and proud of his food and culture. I loved it, but it felt like sometimes he could benefit from letting his food speak for itself. That said, it felt like he genuinely cared that we enjoy ourselves. I hope this place gets the attention it deserves because it's truly unique in our area and really is top quality, authentic, and most importantly, delicious. We will definitely be back. read more

See all

I just went a second time and had their take on a Cuban Sandwich. It is the definitely the star. Also the quesadillas are solid as well...still highly recommended read more

Amazing. Incredible. What else can I say. A fun, unique, personable experience in every way and the food was fantastic.

Ordered the Chilaquiles with Carnitas, mushroom quesadillas, lamb taco and a chorizo taco. Quality ingredients from the meat to cheese and the tortillas are perfect. Will definitely be back! read more

Believe the reviews. This place has great food, fast service, and low budget ambience. Staying at Harrah's and didn't want the overpriced chain food from the hotel so we drove 20 minutes to this fantastic hole-in-the-wall based on Yelp ratings. 100% worth it. Their slogan is something like "we value cuisine, not glamour" and the cuisine is awesome. We had lamb quesabirrias and a torta, bit fantastic. The place next door is an international money remittance service. If you know What that is, you'll know why this place is authentic. The menu is small, the dining are is smaller. The ambience is somewhere between meat & three gas station and N.C. roadside BBQ. Order at the counter, self-serve soft drinks or a few traditional Mexican drinks, seat yourself, paper towel holders on the table, bus it yourself when you're done. If you fly fish and drive a ragged out 4Runner, this is your new secret go to. If you're driving a Range Rover and your kids only wear Vuori, swallow your pride and try it anyway. They don't serve alcohol, not sure if this will change, but they might be okay with you bringing your own six pack. Enjoy. read more

This place is the real deal! The food felt super authentic. The Cuban was delicious. The lamb birria was also delicious but a little drier than I typically like. The service was super friendly as well. We chatted with the owner who said that they were short staffed that evening but we didn't have to wait long for our food. Highly recommend! read more

Veggie Tacos with homemade corn tortillas, cactus, mushrooms, onions s, peppers, cilantro, zucchini, pineapple and Chili on the side but I put mine on top of my tacos and it was fabulous! Vegans will not be disappointed! Vegans and vegetarians rejoice! read more

Fonda Cactus - Veggie tacos! - Mexican Near Me - Sylva, North Carolina

The pork tacos are delicious and the staff is incredibly polite! I recommend! Don't hesitate to stop by.

Great food and service! It's a little small but the food is authentic and delicious. 85 characters is too much for me YELP!

Delicious food. The quesadilla with steak had pickled onions and pineapple - so good! One of the best Cuban sandwiches. Don't miss the Tres Leches. Ample parking. Owner was warm and friendly and you can tell how passionate he is about the quality of the food and experience. read more

Incredible food, quick service, extremely kind staff! Had a lovely meal, will definitely be back! The restaurant is very cute and cozy. read more

Fonda Cactus - Omelet with Birria - Mexican Near Me - Sylva, North Carolina

See all

We eat out a lot & appreciate good food & service. This place was outstanding on both. I couldn't finish all my chilaquiles & brought rest home. Still as good heated up. If you what authentic Mexican food, give them a try. read more

Fonda Cactus - Mexican Near Me - Sylva, North Carolina

See all

To say I was pleasantly surprised with my meal at Fonda Cactus would be an understatement. I lived 20 years in El Paso, 6 in Phoenix, 6 in San Antonio and 5 in Southern Cal. So, when my brother said he wanted Mexican food for lunch I cringed. I had no expectations of Mexican food in the mountains of western North Carolina being any good. I had also lived in the mountains for a short while. When I looked at the pictures of the food I said, "Wow, that looks like the real deal", and it was. The Gorditas were crispy, thin and hot with a slight crunch. My brother had a vegetarian Quesadilla which was toasted to perfection and just the right amount of melted cheese. The Guajillo and Tomatillo salsas were tasty and not too hot. The service was quick and very cordial. If you are in the vicinity and have a desire for some good Mexican food, give Fonda Cactus a try. You won't be disappointed read more

Stopped by Rays for flowers and remembered that Fonda Cactus was a few doors down. Been wanting to try it , heard so many good things. Did not disappoint!!! Fantastic! Best Mexican food I've ever had. Can't wait to go back! read more

This is a destination restaurant even though it's in a small strip mall perpendicular to the street. We ate there when we visited the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. If you haven't had their Cuban sandwich, you don't know what perfection tastes like! I wish I could try everything on their menu, but we live 550 miles away. read more

Great food, got the Flautas and they did not disappoint! Owner who was working the counter is so nice! Casual, very friendly atmosphere . Perfect lunch spot, will be back! read more

Our first time visiting Fonda Cactus in Dillsborro we were hooked. The food was authentically prepared and delicious. The menu is completely different from other Mexican restaurants around. The service was excellent, professional, and helpful. The Ambiance was a quaint little restaurant hidden back from the main road with a friendly atmosphere and caring staff. read more

Super friendly and informative manager/owner. Everything is prepared to order and is made from healthy ingredients. We enjoyed the gorditas with chicken and tacos with pork. Both were excellent! Will be returning regularly. Highly recommended for a truly, non-mass produced, Mexican meal. read more

So delicious! I had the tacos and the dulce de leche. Both were great! Service was awesome and fast. We will definitely come back.

We just happened upon this place on Yelp. It was amazing! Best Mexican food we have had in years and the owner was very kind and very helpful in helping us decide and give details on the dishes. Would recommend to anyone visiting the area. Everything we had was excellent and the tres leches cake was to die for. Wish we had pictures, but we dove in as soon as the food hit the table. read more

We had the pleasure of dining here tonight as a large family and Bernardo was so extremely personable. He was a delight and just made the experience so much fun for all of us. I wish nothing but success for this restaurant because the service and the food were equally incredible. read more

Fonda Cactus - Chicken gorditas and house made hot salsa - Mexican Near Me - Sylva, North Carolina

great food, amazing Cuban, tacos and burritos. costumer service couldn't be better, incredibly helpful and welcoming!

I had the flautas and they were fantastic! Nice and crispy exterior but soft on the inside, the chicken was flavorful and the salsa was delicious (just enough spice to feel it but not be overwhelmed). My friend had a quesadilla with chipotle chicken and he only had good things to say as well. Very fast service, online ordering is super convenient. Quick tip, if you want the tamales, you have to order them by Wednesday, as they won't be ready until Friday (will have to plan ahead next time). Highly recommended! read more

The BEST tacos I've had in a long time! Everything is fresh and homemade! Probably the best food I've had in this part of Western NC!

Wow, wow! Authentic Mexican street food! Exceptional customer service with a kind word and smile. The Chilaquiles and Tacos were delicious! Don't forget to try the Tres Leches Cake read more

Quality / Authentic food with big portions. The prices are very reasonable. Great addition to community.