Conveniently located on a busy street in cathedral heights, my friends and I came here for dinner. We were disappointed to find out they don't have happy hour but we were in the mood for margs. The guacamole was really good and the shrimp tacos were pretty good too. The margs seemed pretty watered down and we had gotten a few pitchers. The dishes and drinks were pretty overpriced for the portion we got. Decent spot if you really want tex mex and are confined to this area but I likely would go elsewhere next time! read more

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

Cactus Cantina is one of my favorite spots--it's always such a fun, lively place to grab a meal. Their fajitas are amazing, the guacamole is super creamy, and the portions are perfect for sharing (or keeping all to yourself). The decor is colorful and festive, and the margaritas are just what you need to unwind. Whether it's a date night or a hangout with friends, the friendly staff and great vibe make it a place I keep coming back to. Follow my IG account for Curated Google Maps list for brunch, happy hours, rooftops, parks, wineries & more in the DMV area: @yourdmvbestie read more

Entirely mediocre DC "tex mex" with watered down margaritas and subpar favorites. I'll be back when desperate but won't go out of my way to frequent this spot. read more

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

This is a spot I've been going to since I was tiny-- like in a high chair! The food is tasty. You will get chips and salsa to start. I like the chucks of tomato in the salsa. My mom and I enjoyed our favorites: chicken enchiladas and beef quesadillas. I've also had the shrimp fajitas which you can easily split with another person. ** if you have kids, you should have them watch the flour tortillas being made!** The quality of the Mojitos can vary depending on who is making them. But I still find them refreshing even if I have to send it back to get redone. Indoor or outdoor seating is available. read more

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Jhojana was an excellent waitress. The support servers were also great. Our food was delivered promptly, drinks were wonderful. We got the sangrita and margarita on the rocks. Everything was great. 1 side note...I wish either the heaters were on or that we were able to sit in the sun. Other than that...because of the service by Jhojana was excellent, I give this restaurant 5 stars. We will be back. read more

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Before attending a concert at the Washington National Cathedral, my friend and I stopped by Cactus Cantina for a quick lunch. I love tex mex food and was very excited to try this restaurant! The interior is absolutely huge, and getting seated quickly was not an issue at all. Our waitress was very nice and quick to refill waters and make sure we were taken care of. We began with chips and salsa; the chips were thin and warm, perfectly salted too. We added a bowl of queso, which came out with a thin film on top--not appetizing at all, but a pretty decent queso. I ordered the chicken and vegetable fajitas and enjoyed the experience. I wish they had come with sour cream and cheese, but I loved the presentation. The vegetable medley was very eclectic (asparagus and zucchini on a fajita? Sure!). The homemade tortillas were thick and warm, and the rice and beans were scrumptious. If you find yourself in cathedral heights, this is not a bad spot to check out! read more

Cactus Cantina - Chicken and vegetable fajitas - Tex-Mex Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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I had a lovely bowl of seafood soup and I would return for more. I ordered a single chili rellano to go with it but had to take it home as the soup was very filling. read more

Best Tex-mex I have had in the DMV. I can see why this place has been open for like 30 years!! I got a GUADALAJARA PLATTER combo platter and enjoyed my cheese enchilada and chicken tamale. I asked for black beans instead of refried beans. Everything was tasty. I couldn't finish the beef taco and took it home for the next the day. Service was fast and efficient. The place is huge but we went on Friday night so it was busy. You do need to make reservations. I found street parking pretty easily about .25 miles from the restaurant. The price was great for the large amount of food you get! read more

Great Mexican food location that is similar to Chuy's or you other common Mexican food chain. I've only used this place so far for takeout. However, both times have been pretty good. You get a lot of food for a decent price - especially for this area. The food has been ready both times and the staff seems friendly. Below is a picture of the El Paso Deluxe. It disappeared 10 min after I started eating it. read more

Cactus Cantina - El Paso Deluxe Combo - Tex-Mex Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I absolutely LOVE this place, the waiters and waitresses are always so so nice and I'd love to shout out Walter, the bartender, he's so so nice and always makes sure we have our usual. The ambiance is stellar here, the paintings and floors are very nice. I absolutely loveeee the food the chips are insanely good and the steak is even better, its juicy, full of flavor and smacks every single time. I also am a huge fan of their daiquiris. read more

Looking for a well themed Mexican restaurant where the fajitas shizzle near the National Cathedral? Come to Cactus Cantina. Highlights: - Cadillac margarita pitcher - buttery guacamole (hold the cheese) - a lot of space inside / unique / not a chain - beef fajitas better than expected on a non-cast iron skillet Rolled up to Cactus Cantina after visiting the National Cathedral and needing to visit Giant for some groceries. When walking up, there is outdoor seating but when walking in, wow! It was so much larger than expected. Staff are a very friendly and everything clean. Expect vinyl picnic table covers. Honestly, I'm giving 3 stars cause I didn't like the queso. IMO....I do like the white tangy queso. Not a yellow sweet queso. Also more cheese on the guacamole...next time I'll hold. Cadillac margarita pitcher is a must if you're looking for a GoOooD time~ My boyfriend got the beef fajita's and it was pleasantly "steakier" than expected. Honestly, dip in the sweet queso for cheeseburger vibes. Will we come back? When the cathedral and giant supermarket workout on a Sunday again. read more

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

My oldest and me had a "daddy daughter " date here tonight. We ate great and she particularly enjoyed the virgin strawberry margarita. The Texas wings are ALWAYS ON POINT. I had the fish tacos and she had the beef tacos. Her beef tacos were more meaty than Taco Bell but lacked flavor and taste. Taco Bell is 1/2 the price might I add. I'm not a real bean eater but the beans were torch. I really enjoy them. My pitcher of swirl mix (all three flavors) was ABSOLUTELY IN POINT. Just the right mix of sweet and alcohol. I appreciate that. We actually went to two other restaurants, only because we eat here often. Both (Medium Rare and The Cheesecake Factory) of them were completely booked for the evening. I say all that to say that we were glad to patronize "old faithful" one more again. I did NOT take great pictures because we were starving. But please do yourself a favor and try out this establishment. Great food, great vibe, great service and even greater memories. read more

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Awesome service with big portions Love their chips and guacamole and salsa as well as their lomo Saltado My child loved the kid quesadilla and another the Rockfish. Highly recommend read more

We walked past this place and decided to give it a try. We were seated immediately and the seating outside was great, tables were not too close together. Our waitress was fast, friendly, and attentive. She refilled our drinks multiple times. I ordered Nacho Mexicana and Short Rib Taco. Everything tasted great! The short rib was full of flavors and the sauce that came with it was delicious. The salsa for the chips has a nice little kick to it. For the nacho, i really don't think you can't go wrong with nacho. Everything was just delicious. read more

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

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Still a gem. Been going here over 30 years on and off. Haven't been in here in a long time and nothing changed. Still high quality food and super fresh. Totally recommend except prices are getting high. read more

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

So I work across from Cactus Cantina and always wanted to try it, due to all the wonderful things my colleagues have said about it. Now when it comes to the drinks, they are on point, you definitely get your money's worth with the alcohol, very good drinks. Now the food is tasty as well but they don't do substitutions with your meals so that's something I really didn't like, also the Mexican rice I wasn't a big fan of, the beef chimichanga was really good, it looks small but is packed with meat inside. The service was wonderful and and she always came to check on us and that's something you always want right. One thing I also enjoyed is the music they had playing, it really gives you a real Mexican vibe when having a few cocktails and enjoying your food. I definitely will be back. read more

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That carne asada was so damn good. I throughly enjoyed this food and the staff was great. Came here for a group party on Friday and the staff made sure to take care of us. The calamari was delicious as well and the margaritas are pretty good. They have some other things I want to try like the fajitas and tacos. Street or garage parking so be prepared for that. Typical pricing for the food and drinks. I'll definitely be back with the fam! read more

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

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One of my favorite places in Washington DC. The chips are light, the salsa fresh. The meals are reasonably priced and portions are good. Quality, been going for over 20 years read more

Not a whole lot of vegetarian choices, which is surprising given it's a Mexican restaurant. Their Mexican rice is not vegetarian and they do not have any spicy salsas....my husband ordered an Arnold Palmer drink and instead got only iced tea! Overall there are several other Mexican restaurants I'd recommend folks try before coming to this is you're vegetarian! read more

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

Absolutely banging Tex-Mex food! God damn the servers are cute as well. If you want sexy young men in khaki shorts supplying you with top of the line margaritas, then this is the establishment for you. read more

Best service from Joaqun was absolutely phenomenal. Service was excellent. Food was fresh and delicious. Would definitely recommend this establishment.. Joaquin you were simply fantastic! read more

Pros: Excellent service and speed despite serving my party of 8, pleasant music and decoration, decent drinks. Cons: There was no salsa option that offered any spice, few people in my party enjoyed the flavor of their dishes, most of the food was slightly too dry and bready, especially with the rice and tortilla. The calamari was undercooked, and the fajita steak did not have much flavor (though its presentation was very alluring). Compared to mexican food from the south or new mexico, this isnt even close- though that is to be expected given the area/location. Possible worth visiting but not spectacular in any quality. read more

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

Nice service, but the food wasn't good that Rock fish was terrible and the chicken quesadillas aren't good you could get better at a gas station. read more

Great margaritas and quick food service. Also one of the very few places in DC that brings free chips and salsa I feel it's overpriced for what you get, but all the food I've had tastes good. read more

The food steak fajitas were really good and the in fresh tortilla added to the meal. The service was great

Rather bland and watery salsa for their chips. Not much better when applied to tacos or any other Mexican food.

Ambiance is typical, in a good way, of a Latin-Mex eating spot you want to check out. Food was ok. The enchiladas were not very flavorful and on the greasy side. The guacamole was a small portion for the price. The beef in the quesadillas odd in texture. Drinks are good but expensive. The service was good despite the fact they forgot the food for one of our group and the meal arrived when most of us were almost done. I would go again if in the mood for Mexican food, and I am passing by. read more

I came in with my family and we were really excited because the food smelled great and people seated were smiling and happy. We were seated in the garden room, which was okay. The room is meant for people with young children which was not my group. The person who served us didn't bring out our drinks until after the food was served. And they didn't refill our drinks during our visit there. The food was very bland nothing Tex-mex about it. The worse part is I got food poisoning after eating here. I ordered the shrimp and crab enchiladas which was okay but who ever is handling the seafood needs to learn how to wash their hands. I'm suffering because someone didn't take the time to handle the food properly. I will not be dining here again and no, I do not recommend this place. read more

I used to live on Idaho Avenue, and we walked to Cactus Cantina several times a month because the food was amazing! I move to Virginia and I was psyched to go back to Cactus and take a friend to experience it for the first time. It ended up being embarrassing. No amazing Masitas de Puerco, or any pork dishes. Think about that - a Mexican restaurant with no pork dishes. The server said pork dishes are seasonal now. (When exactly is pork season?) same issues as above, slimmer menu, way fewer options and combinations, and food flavors are not nearly as good as they used to be. I'm a proud Latino, and walking into Cactus Cantina used to have that amazing aroma of any of my aunts' kitchens. It doesn't anymore. It's sad. read more

We come to this spot regularly and have seen the prices go up quite a bit recently-- but alas, welcome to a world living with COVID. I think a few things on the menu are over priced, but there are still several that are well worth the price. While some things on the menu are nothing to write home about, I find the Peruvian dishes to be delicious. Most recently I ordered the lomo saltado (steak with peppers, onions, French fries and rice and beans). The meat was tender and flavorful and I love that it was served with a side of green sauce and two maduros (caramelized plantains). Highlights: -Chips and salsa are brought to every table -tortillas are made in house (and make the spot smell great) -service was fast and friendly -portions are large! read more

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

We stopped here after a night out at Barcelona for some late night, munchies and drinks. We sat at the bar and enjoyed some sangria, guacamole, and sopapillas. The music here is awesome, the bathrooms are super clean and the bar service was super awesome I hope to be able to come back here to try some more items off of the menu. read more

I've been coming here for over 20 years. The food is great and the prices are reasonable. Whenever I'm in DC I go to the Cactus and enjoy

This place is pretty good. I like the location and the space is huge. Sent here for lunch. The food was good. I like the Latino memorabilia on the walls. Only issue is the parking. read more

The service is excellent but the food is pretty average. Just a little bland quite honestly. Very family friendly and pretty cheap as well. I would give a 3.5 if possible. read more

Cactus Cantina is probably my new favorite Mexican food spot like seriously. I love tacos so much and I am pretty critical when it comes to the way my tacos are made. However, Cactus Cantina hit the nail on the head with their shrimp tacos! Each taco had a slice of avocado, beautiful plating with grilled, caramelized onions! I loved every minute of every bite! Our server was pretty cool as were the hostesses. The only issue I had was the fact that the website clearly says Happy Hour from 3:00pm - 6:30pm. When we arrived, we were told we had to sit in the bar for Happy Hour, but when I asked to be moved to the bar area, we were told that Happy Hour doesn't exist. This was frustrating! I think that the Happy Hour page should be taken down from the website as this is misleading. read more

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

My wife and I went here to grab an afternoon bite to eat. We shared a plate of pork nachos. It was a huge serving and very tasty. A great value too. read more

Average Tex-mex for people who never had Tex-mex before. Food portions were large but the food was bland and lacked real flava. Service was great. Always a full glass of water, chips and salsa. Restaurant was always full but tables were flipped very quickly. I would say pass on this place. So many other great places for flava-ful Tex-mex. read more

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

very small portions of food for very high price. we got the Tuesday special, two tiny ground beef tacos and either rice or beens ( not both ). for $11.42. the beans were orange and tasted funny i asked for a spoonful of sour cream they charged me 1.50 extra the margaritas taste like syrup will not be back 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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I've been coming here since it first opened. For years and years it was reliably the best Tex-Mex in the city. Sadly, it has diminished in quality over the years. They have clearly cut corners. The things they were known for: great margaritas, amazing chips and smoky salsa, super fresh tortillas are all not what they once were. I also noticed last night that the staff bus their own tables now , which didn't used to be the case. Overall very average now and sadly I can't say we'll be back anymore or that we will take out of town guests. Still a fun atmosphere that can accommodate big groups but that's about it. read more