I visited Mexican Cactus Taco Bar expecting your typical strip mall taco joint with decent tacos…read moreand some TVs to watch a World Cup match, but WOW did I underestimate what I was in for. I knew from the second we walked in, based on the list of made-in-house horchatas and agua frescas, that we were going to be in for a good meal. The menu was refreshingly unique compared to your basic street taco style setup or the usual Tex-Mex mashup of inauthentic tacos topped with shredded cheese, lettuce, and tomatoes. Our group of 3 adults, plus my 7 year old niece, shared a bowl of guacamole, which was phenomenal and came mixed with sunflower seeds and topped with crumbled cotija, alongside house-made corn tortilla chips. We also split an elote cup, which was great. My wife got a classic horchata, which was deliciously sweet (but not overly so) with a nice slight punch of cinnamon. I went with water but will definitely try an agua fresca next time. I ordered two tacos, both on house-made flour tortillas (I like corn tortillas but prefer flour when made fresh). The Pollo Azteca, with marinated grilled chicken tenderloin, mango pico, and a drizzle of crema, was phenomenal, and had more flavor than most chicken tacos I've had before. The star of my meal, however, was the Al Pastor, with adobo marinated pork tenderloin, diced pineapple, onions, and cilantro, with a slice of lime to squeeze on top. This was hands down one of the best tacos I've ever had in my life. I was floored. I also tried my wife's Carne Asada tacos, which came topped with cilantro and onions, and a slice of lime, on their house made corn tortillas. The steak was incredibly flavorful, and the corn tortillas were tender without being chewy. We shared a side of rice and beans, which was good, but not the star of the show. The rice was your typical Mexican yellow rice, and the beans were more of a soupy whole-beans style, which reminded me of my Colombian mother-in-law's recipe. The staff makes four homemade salsas, ranging from mild to pretty spicy, and I loved all of them with the exception of the mild. My niece got the kids' cheese quesadilla, which was a simple melted Oaxaca cheese between a flour tortilla, served with rice, beans, and a little side of crema. The last thing I will rave about is the service. The staff was incredibly nice from the minute we walked in, pleasant to talk to when delivering our order and asking how everything was tasting, to the moment we bussed our tables and headed for the door. I cannot wait to come back again, and I hope they stay very busy until I'm able to do so, because I want this place to be around for a very long time!

05/07/26- #Thursday #R1616 #FarWest #Food…read more I think it was my 3rd time coming here. Food was great. Enough parking spaces. Not sure during the evenings. Awesome customer service!!!

We went to Velvet Taco with family because they love the nachos, and it definitely didn't…read moredisappoint! This time, they ordered the nachos with no spicy sauce, which they actually preferred. My usual go-to is the shrimp tacos, but this time I also tried the chimichurri tacos, which came with rice and was good. There's plenty of seating, the service was good, and it was a nice spot to enjoy a meal with family. Overall, another good experience at Velvet Taco!

Velvet Taco is a great lunch spot in Allen whenever I'm craving creative, flavorful tacos. The food…read morealways feels carefully crafted, and the flavors are consistently on point. On this visit, I had the chimichurri steak taco and the Mexi-Cali shrimp taco, and both were excellent. The steak taco was packed with flavor, while the shrimp taco had a great balance of freshness and seasoning. You can really tell thought goes into the ingredients and combinations here. I also highly recommend saving room for the red velvet cake, it's absolutely worth it and a perfect way to finish the meal. Definitely a spot I enjoy coming back to from time to time for lunch.

Great little spot. Drive up…read more Order food. Wait a few mins for food. Enjoy great tacos!

Tacos smell and taste good. The sauces are very spicy and really what makes the tacos good. I was a…read morebit lost when I arrived as I didn't know where to pull up. I called several times to confirm but they hung up on me, I think it was due to the language barrier. This is only drive through. You have to pull up in your car and wait until a worker opens their window to get and give your order. I placed an order ahead of time so I just had to wait at the drive through to pay and pick it up. There may be a small language barrier if Spanish isn't your native language. They gave me the card reader to tip and it was all in Spanish so I had no idea what to click or press but eventually figured it out. I wish they offered lunch specials.

Ok. These folks are super nice! The food is good…read more However, it's always a hot mess inside afternoons and weekends. Teenagers, are not as careful and it shows. The tables and floors are dirty with flakes of food. Just down right dirty. Ugh. Not sure when they ever wipe them down, if ever. Of all the tables on several visits I couldn't find a clean table to sit and eat. It's a taqueria? But, still offer table seating. I'm so confused. Not the usual spotless Mexican kitchen. The floors are dirty. Ugh. Crumbs all over the floor and it's sticky. I think most folks use Uber Eats. That's why they don't have a standard inside. Usually, kids, and I mean kids 16 and younger are running the counter and kitchen. The bottles are never wiped down. Caked on food on ketchup, green sauce, and red sauce bottles. Thus far I've not gotten sick. They don't speak English, but then I don't speak Spanish. So it's a wash! I'll probably go back. And pray every time I don't get sick. Thus far I've dodged the bullet! I'd like to support a small business. However, the prices are stupid crazy! Salsa and chips are $5.50. Refills are $1 each time for salsa. Pay up front too. Then they serve you. Don't expect refills either you have to pay first. ( I still leave a tip, but probably shouldn't). Food is always decent! Just know when eating in, it's not up to expectations as a consumer. Make your own judgments. Sticking to Uber eats may be your best bet! That way you don't see what really goes on inside this establishment. June-September 2024

The service here was amazing everyone was so kind and helpful. The chicken was super fresh and…read moretender in the tacos and enchiladas and the churros were hot fresh and very delicious. The restaurant setting was casual and fun and the owner and the guy at the register were super nice which enhanced our experience. We will definitely be back soon. Thank you!!

I have so many wonderful things to say about this restaurant! First, I'd like to shout-out our…read moreserver, Jozie! Jozie was so attentive, knowledgeable, and so kind! This restaurant has some really fun decor! You walk in and it immediately feels like a party because it is decked out! We sat outside on the adorable patio because we brought our dog with us. That's another plus! You can bring your dog! The patio is completely covered and has plenty of fans and heaters depending on the weather. It looks like there are even screens that come down when needed, so another plus! Their happy hour drinks are $5. A $5 margarita? YES! I didn't get to take pictures of everything because I was just so in awe of the quality of the food, drinks, and service. I had a taco salad, and my husband had a quesadilla. We also tried the deviled eggs and they were so good. Everything was a 10/10. We can't wait to come back!

Terry and Z at the bar let you in with a welcome!…read more Good place good food good atmosphere. Worth checking this place out.

The potato and egg burrito has been my go to breakfast when I'm starving. The green and red salsas…read moreare absolutely incredible!

I love good tacos, but I'm from a whole different area of the country that isn't even known for…read moretacos. I figured Texas would probably have great places after moving here, and I quickly realized this Mexican restaurant confirmed it! The del sur taco was fantastic, I love avocado on my tacos. Very impressed by that, but also their mexican soda was really good as well. Definitely recommend this spot here in McKinney!

This place is absolutely perfect. Growing up, my aunt and uncle had a Mexican restaurant. The whole…read morefamily including my cousins and their friends worked there. Cookies reminds me of that and it's so special. It is the freshest, most authentic Mexican food you could ask for. The portions are generous and the prices are very reasonable. Everyone working there is always so genuinely kind. It's laid back and comfortable with the best vibe. If you think you've had excellent birria at other places--I promise you, you've had nothing until you've had theirs. They offer their quesabirria tacos in both barbacoa and lamb (because it's actually authentic Mexican) and they are total nirvana. And today, my search for the best menudo in Dallas came to an end. This is it and I'm positive I'll be getting it every Saturday that I can during the cooler months. In the meantime, I'm looking forward to trying everything else on their menu. Today we took our order to go and it was packaged completely perfectly with generous salsas and toppings.

Total hole in the wall with great Mexican food. We had a long day, came in right before we closed…read moreand loved our food. I got beef tacos with rice and beans and felt totally full! If you're looking for authentic Mexican in McKinney, do it!

Absolutely loved this local BBQ spot! The BBQ was fresh, flavorful, and clearly made with care and…read morethe sides are just as impressive--everything tastes homemade and complements each other perfectly. What really makes this place stand out, though, is the people. The owner was amazing--friendly, welcoming, and genuinely takes pride in the food and the experience. The staff was equally wonderful, providing great service and making you feel like a valued customer. Highly recommended!!

Here is the review with the burger worked in…read more --- I spent today at Brisket School at Vaqueros BBQ, and it was my Father's Day gift. The class was taught by the great Trey Sanchez. Let me start with the most important thing I can tell you. If you have never eaten at Vaqueros, you are missing out. Vaqueros and Hutchins are the two best BBQ joints in Collin County. But Vaqueros has a twist. Their barbecue is competition grade, and they also happen to run one of the Top 50 taco spots in the entire state. Do not take my word for it. Ask Texas Monthly. Want to know why the tacos are that good? It is the brisket. Trey uses every last ounce of it. The trimmings end up in the sausage, the burgers, the tacos, and the consomé de res. They go into the tallow too, and if you ever order the fries, you will understand. You will want more. His suadero tacos are something special, and that is just the beginning of the menu. Speaking of burgers, do not skip his. It is outstanding, and it is made with, if you guessed brisket, you would be right. So here is my advice. If you are thinking about wandering next door to Village Burger Bar, stop. Get a burger from Trey instead. His beef is ground fresh daily, and the pickles and the mustard are made in house. It is in a different league. Now the class itself. What Trey taught me about trimming a brisket, treating it like a steak, seasoning it, and wrapping it, those are lessons any wannabe pitmaster will cherish for life. And here is the part nobody warns you about. Trey is a phenomenal storyteller. He knows everyone in the Texas barbecue world, and his stories alone are worth the price of admission. Let us talk about the food. Do you love barbecue? Vaqueros has it. Brisket, ribs, turkey, and two kinds of sausage, and every one of them is excellent. The smoked pork carnitas are pure heaven. Looking for something a little different? Get the brisket nachos. They come loaded with chopped brisket, queso, beans, pico, and all the fixings. Fifteen dollars. You can feed a family of four with one order. They have beer, margaritas, and a bourbon lemonade that is genuinely fantastic. I will say it one more time. You are missing out if you have not been. Tell him Brian sent you.

Went today and got the Birria Grilled Cheese which as you can see is INCREDIBLE! It's one of the…read morebest things I've eaten in a long time. The bread is toasted crispy, the meat is delicate and tender, and don't even get me started on all of the ooey gooey cheesy goodness! The consommé is spicy and flavorful for dipping and the staff is super friendly. The food is cooked with love and you can definitely taste it.

This place never fails to amaze me with the amazing quality of their food. Their horchata alwaaaays…read moresells out, but if you get a chance to get it... GET IT! It's so so soooo good.

If you blink, you might miss it, but trust me, you don't want to. Tucked in a strip mall, this…read moretiny, family-owned spot is the definition of a hidden gem but not a secret to the locals. The menu is huge and somehow everything sounds goods and it'shard to choose just one. So.. we ordered a few different items to try their food (see pics), and not a single one disappointed us. Yum! Fresh, flavorful, and made to order. Nothing sat under warming lights. Nice! The prices are impressive. It explains the steady stream of to-go orders flying out the door, and regulars. That constant buzz of people means they're doing something right. The vibe is very casual and welcoming. Don't be surprised if this becomes one of your new fav Mexican food spots.

This is a follow up review I've come here for several years. It is a charming place in the…read moreneighborhood. The food is excellent service is great and I've developed a habit of coming here at least once a week for their breakfast tacos which are unbelievably great I would strongly recommend dropping by if you're in the neighborhood.