5 of us came here for a birthday dinner at 7:50pm I ordered the Cactus Veggie Burrito with Mexican rice and black beans at 7:55. Got our food at 8:05! Check came at 8:15. Waitress was phenomenal, very positive. Food was good. My favorite was the black beans. I was not expecting broccoli in a veggie burrito, though. I love the ambience. There's beautiful lighting around the bar, a saltwater tank as you enter the door, and at least 3 TVs for sports if you like that. Their tickets are large print, which is interesting. They give out free postcards at the end of your meal if you want that. Ratings from my table: S - 4/5 Food was fast, my plate was smaller than I expected. D - 4/5 Grits were good, rice was good, cheesedip was runny. A - 3/5 Service was quick, typical Mexican restaurant. Expensive for what we got. F - 3/5 Crab thing wasn't great. My score - 3.5/5 The black beans are VERY good... broccoli shouldn't be in a burrito though. Great service brings it up, expense brings it down. read more

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This was a 5 star experience. I recommend the steak tacos they were delicious. The waiter did her job good job. I also got a picture with Jim the duck great guy. If you are looking for a great Mexican restaurant I recommend Cactus Cantina read more

Cactus Cantina Mexican Grill - Mexican Near Me - Orange Beach, Alabama

Service was very good. Friendly and welcoming. The food just ok. I ordered shrimp tacos and got some kind of fish but no shrimp. Didn't tell server as I had eaten almost one taco when I discovered the fish at the bottom. The cheese dip was good. Chips and salsa were ok. Had a margarita and it was ok. It's Alabama and we're from Texas. So it's not as good as what we are use to. We sure love all the delicious seafood Orange Beach has to offer. Hate to give an ok review since everyone was so nice. Maybe it was an off day in the kitchen. read more

You cannot this place Mexican food. The burrito was non existent you can't call that a burrito when it wasn't even closed together. The tortilla wasn't even cooked. It tasted like it came directly outside the bag and didn't even touch the grill. The burrito had nothing but meat in it. The California burrito was not it. The only California thing about it was the 3 slices of avocado thrown on it. The queso on top should have never even touched a burrito. The service was good and the food taste was alright but that's the only nice thing I gotta say. read more

Amazing food and incredible service! We had Bre as our server and she was 10/10! The chips and salsa were free flowing and the drinks were delicious and cold. She had honest recommendations and helped direct us to our ideal meal. Top notch place, we went there last night and will eat there again tonight!!! read more

Cactus Cantina Mexican Grill - 3 Street Corn Elote Tacos (steak) with rice and black beans - Mexican Near Me - Orange Beach, Alabama

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Food was sub par... The Mexican flavor I was craving was much to be desired. Trust me I've been to Mexico I know how it's supposed to taste.... The service was very poor. The overall ambiance of the restaurant was sad. I wouldn't even bring my ex wife here. The salsa tasted like caned tomato's with a gross film ontop of it. Steak and chicken was bland. The rice tasted like beans and the beans tasted like rice. The cheese ontop of the beans was gross and sour. Food was so cold I think it lowered the temperature in my stomach. I would never come back here again. THE WORST MEXICAN FOOD EVER... read more

Not many places along this stretch of road to eat. Luckily, we pulled into this strip mall and walked in the Cactuse Cantina. Very friendly, efficient front hostess stand got us seated quickly for a late lunch around 1:45. Many were finishing up lunch. Our waiter was very friendly and took great care of us throughout our visit. The decor is very clean with concrete flors which made the noise level a bit high but tolerable to have a conversation. The chips and salsa were very good. The salsa was mild and not very hot spice. I had the steak quesadilla and she had the grilled chicken salad. Both were very tasty and way more than enough foor for lunch. Next time we drive trough this area, we will return. Plenty of parking here but, it was after the lunch hour when we arrived. read more

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Server was not nice, asked for refill and he rolled his eyes. Only good part was the food was good. Not a fan of service at all.

Carson was a great bartender beer was ice cold salsa was fantastic tacos wee delicious

On our 4-day trip to OBA, my group of four, originally from California but now living in Tennessee, wanted a break from seafood for dinner. Finding authentic Mexican food in the South can be tricky, but this spot was a gem! As the designated food-finder in our group, I hit the jackpot with this place. Our server, Gabby, was phenomenal--she nailed every detail of our complex orders without jotting anything down, and everything arrived spot-on. The food was absolutely delicious, and the margaritas were perfection. If our trip was longer, we'd have been back for sure. The vibe inside is cool, airy, and artistic. Pro tip: there are two locations in town, but this one's rumored to be the best. Can't wait to return on our next visit! read more

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Good food, excellent service. Great prices ; atmosphere open and fun. Will be back soon. read more

Cactus Cantina Mexican Grill - Carnitas and peach margarita - Mexican Near Me - Orange Beach, Alabama

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Stopped in while in town on business. The service was top notch and although not officially on the menu, the birria quesadilla was fantastic and the guacamole was some of the best I've ever had. Highly recommend! read more

Cactus Cantina Mexican Grill - Birria Quesadilla - Mexican Near Me - Orange Beach, Alabama

There are five Cactus Cantina locations on the Gulf Coast: one in my hometown of Gulf Shores, two in Orange Beach, one in Fairhope, and the one I recently visited for the first time in Orange Beach on Canal Road, Alabama. This makes it three out of five locations that I've been to. There are also an additional two locations in Pensacola, Florida. I'm writing this after my second visit - first with my significant other and yesterday with my Friends & Neighbors group of 14, so I have sampled quite a few dishes. The Canal Road location is one of the more recent openings, and it's clean, spacious, and comfortable. The people are really friendly and work hard to make you happy, which is great! Before we talk about the food, I'm always hesitant to be overly critical of Mexican restaurants due to my many decades of time spent in Mexico, Los Angeles, and the Southwest, as well as my experience cooking this cuisine. However, here goes. Our server was Brason, and he worked really hard for our group of 14, all while maintaining a smile and a great disposition. Kudos to you, Brason! Big shout-outs also go to Assistant Manager John, who made sure we had our tables set up and ensured everything went well. The first thing to discuss is the chips and salsa. If they get that wrong, then it may be a bad sign, but the salsa was okay, although a little more heartiness would be my preference. The chips were light, non-greasy, and had a fresh crispness, so it was a good start. I'm not a fan of their queso, however, as it was watery and bland, but their guacamole was not bad at all. Once our orders were in, the food came out hot and in a timely manner. I had the steak burrito and shrimp taco with refried beans, which were good. The burrito and taco had an Americanized take on Mexican cuisine, which is expected at the majority of Mexican restaurants in the area. Cactus Cantina doesn't claim to be an authentic-style Mexican restaurant, and they're not, but they do a nice job with the expected fare. A big standout were the refried beans, which had large pieces of pinto beans rather than just a paste, along with sautéed onions and a nice blend of spices. The quesadilla was pretty good, as were the tacos, but the shrimp and grits were just so-so. The churros, however, were a delight. I'm impressed with some of their newer additions to the menu, especially the seafood. The Gulf fish, crab, shrimp, and even lobster additions are great selections. They've also added Birria Tacos, Street Corn Elote Tacos, and Smash Burger Tacos. My significant other particularly enjoyed their Boom-Boom Shrimp. Cactus Cantina offers a nice happy hour every day at 3 PM with $2.50 draft beers, $4 well drinks and tequila shots, and 8-ounce house wines for $3 per glass. Daily lunch specials are available as well. Bottom line: I would return to Cactus Cantina because the atmosphere and people make it a good dining experience. Hours: Monday - Sunday: 11:00 AM - 9:00 PM Website: https://www.mycactuscantina.com/ read more

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Chips and salsa were fantastic! I had the chicken Diablo and it was phenomenal! I've already recommended this place to my friend that come down to Gulf Shores. We will come back for sure! read more

We had just finished a dolphin tour and needed something fast. Chips and fresh salsa to the rescue I had the fajita Quesadilla, and hubby had fish tacos. Good food and great service!!! read more

Cactus Cantina Mexican Grill - Wall mural - Mexican Near Me - Orange Beach, Alabama

Went in tonight with a large group, and Matt took care of us. Awesome service! People were coming in at different times, and Matt made sure we all had chips and salsa ready to go as we sat down. He took care of drinks and apps as people were coming in, then got all of entrees at the same time. We were also coming in after a large softball group an hour before they closed. He was also on top of refills - my soda was never empty, and I definitely appreciate that. Thanks Matt! I love Cactus Cantina - I almost always order the tacos mexicanos. I also love the guacamole and the arroz con pollo. I've only been to the canal road location a few times, but I'll be back for sure! read more

I enjoyed the finest Mexican cuisine in the Alabama coast! The Cactus Cantina served us the finest food, particularly the best guacamole ever!!! The burrito ranchero was perfect and so were the tacos Mexicano! Our service was excellent and the restaurant offered the best ambiance in the lunch hours! The Cactus Cantina is a perfect example of great service and food, so give them a try!! read more

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Friendly staff, love the margaritas . Chips and salsa nice and fresh. They have several locations. I've been mostly to the one on canal in orange beach. Haven't tried food . Just gone for drinks read more

Cactus Cantina Mexican Grill - House margarita - Mexican Near Me - Orange Beach, Alabama

The absolute best Mexican restaurant I have ever been to. I got a steak fajita and it was so so good. The large bowl of queso was also amazing. Atmosphere was just fine the booths are large and they have tv's. The service was great our waitress was awesome. Would recommend this place to any & everyone. Was $16 for the fajita quesadilla but not too bad. read more

Cactus Cantina Mexican Grill - Steak Fajita Quesadilla - Mexican Near Me - Orange Beach, Alabama

Tastey food Cool tshirts Nice staff Near the beach Spacious interior nicely, decorated shirts are not that badly priced read more

I had a chicken quesadilla it was pretty over seasoned but there tacos are amazing! The service was fantastic our waiter was nice helped out with the menu and was just in general an amazing waiter. The theme was just like any other Mexican restaurant but was pretty nice. read more

Good service and great deal with happy hour 3-6 tacos 1.50$, and drink specials. Classic Mexican style ambiance. No padded seats read more

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Food was delicious & fast! Service by Joseph was awesome! Ambiance, nice & quit, you could hear our conversation at our table! read more

Cactus Cantina Mexican Grill - Cactus Cantina Orange Beach, AL - Mexican Near Me - Orange Beach, Alabama

Very good Mexican food. Fast service and friendly staff. I had the chicken taquitos and the coconut margarita for Cinco de mayo!

great food with some fresh options! the traditional favorites typically found on mexican menus are available along with some varied options. we chose to sit on the outdoor patio but the dining area was attractive and clean. our server was the best! i didn't catch his name but he made great suggestions and made sure we had everything we needed for our meal. no complaints! read more

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I had a good lunch at the bar here a few weeks ago. Seafood burrito was good and the cactus grits were great (queso the key ingredient) while the draft Modelo's were cold! While this is in a strip mall, it's a good spot for families or small groups with a patio, long bar and spread-out tables. Service was good too. read more

Quickly seated and attentive service (waitress was Madison) I got the fish tacos, I thought they were just ok tbh. My sister said the grilled fish tacos (cantina style) were good though. Bathroom was pretty clean Restaurant can do larger parties Plenty parking read more

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Service was great. Food inexpensive and tasty. Can on a margarita special time so that was nice too

Absolutely delicious! My husband and I tried this restaurant for dinner while on vacation, after reading all of the other good reviews and it did not disappoint!! We enjoyed it so much the first night that we went back the next day for dinner again. All of our food was so good, drinks were nasty and strong, and service was quick and polite. Their salsa and tortillas chips both tasted so fresh and homemade. Night one we ordered: grande supreme nachos and 3 carnitas tacos. Night two we ordered: 3 carnitas tacos (again, my husband was in love with these) and the shrimp diablo (had a very nice spicy kick in the cheese). read more

Big restaurant featuring Mexican food. Servers are attentive and friendly. Nachos are amazing, chips and salsa are free and delish. Cactus grits are a must have side. Mango daiquiri is very good. Cactus marg is ginormous. Would eat here again! read more

Stay away from everyone of these. Others out there great service but shotty food. JMO

This place has turned into a scam. Avoid at all cost. They have a price on their menu and then charge it to a higher price on your bill. They are deceptive and there are better places in town. Apparently their manger is aware of the pricing issues but will not address the problem. Ive been going for years and Im upset that I will not be going back again due to their misleading, poor management. read more

Doesn't take Yelp orders, 130 mins passed, called location host let me know they don't even receive Yelp orders and wouldn't even take a to go order because "too busy" absolutely horrible service read more

Food and service were excellent. I loved the black beans and cheese grits. Never had grits before since we live in Southern California.

I've been to Gulf Shores many times and never tried Mexican food there. Decided to try it out this go around. The food was fresh, super filling and delicious. I ordered the Cantina Style Grilled Fish Tacos. I loved the Boom Boom sauce. It does have some KICK/HEAT to it, but it paired well with the pineapple black bean pico. Our server, Destiny, was extremely nice and attentive. Because we were first timers here, we had a difficult time deciding what we wanted, but she helped seal the deal with her recommendations. I will be back to try the grits! Seating and ordering wait time was reasonable. read more

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Amazing food and atmosphere you'd think that being in the Gulf Shores they be turnover City but they're not where was attentive recommended good food totally awesome experience tip great read more

The portions were very large. The waiter was quick and friendly. The restaurant was clean.

Visited a few days ago and had the best margarita ever! We were seated immediately, received drinks and dinner within perfect timing, and service was on point. This was our first time to Cactus Cantina and we highly recommend. read more

This is our 2nd trip to Orange Beach and we couldn't miss a dinner here. Wonderful food, service and price. read more

Cactus Cantina Mexican Grill - Flautas - Mexican Near Me - Orange Beach, Alabama

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Ask for Brandon in the bar! Great bartender! he makes a great skinny marg! We love to just hang out, have a couple of drinks and chips and give him a hard time! read more