Consistently good freshly made food, quick service, and economically priced. This evening we enjoyed the fish taco and the chicken mole rojo and shared the Horchata. The mole had a hint of chocolate and cinnamon flavor. In the past we have enjoyed burritos, tostadas and enchiladas. They are our neighbor and when we want it quick and local, We will be back again and again. read more

So basically, yelp keeps yelling at me to review Cactus. I don't have a lot to say because its only okay. Last time I was there, I just ordered a fish taco. The taste wasn't bad, but it wasn't to be eaten like a taco because it was overfilled (not with fish, but cabbage and whatnot). The food is decent and the frescas are good, that's about it. read more

I have had issues with the chile rellenos here multiple times, but the remainder of the plate is always quite good. Beans and rice are always on point. The sauce is spicy, and seasoned to my liking. The chips and guacamole delicious. My complaint with the chile rellenos is that more often than not they are undercooked. Leaving the pepper hard and not easy to cut. The location on College Ave. always seems to get this dish right every time, making it hard for me to come back to this location. Solano is closer but the cooks at the College location have perfected it! Thankfully the manager listened to us about the chile, and when we went back they were fully cooked. I forget her name but she was really helpful and worked through our issue. All in all I like Cactus. It is reasonably priced, and has fresh delicious food. Definitely order the guacamole if your dining in! read more

Decent place. Has a fast food vibe, but the food was a bit slow in coming. They have a wide menu. We had enchiladas, which were ok; nothing to complain about nor rave about. And the chili relleno, which was actually very good. Though my tummy was not sitting right in the drive home...we also had nachos with cheese and beans...the cheese was really mild, and the chips are basically out of a bag. All in all, I'd go back if I was right there and really craving Mexican, but I wouldn't go out of my way to get there. read more

Cactus serves really high quality food, has a big seating area and nice salsa bar, has great options for both small and large portions, and they make a huge effort with sustainability including grass-fed beef, wild-caught shrimp, free range chicken, and no antibiotics or growth hormones. They also get their tortillas and chips from a family-owned business nearby in San Leandro. The customer service in my experience has been perfectly fine. Those people are really, really busy making your food so they are unlikely to have time to stop and chat you up! Some favorite things: Taco salad with fish Enchiladas Horchata Salsa Rice and beans Burritos read more

My taco was pretth good but the service not so much. I got the steak taco. Then u have to go down the line sort of like at a school cafeteria to get whatchu want. When u ask a person for something they give u kind of a snotty yesh in reply and the. Like throw it onto your plate. Next time ill be back for the food. Not the service read more

Overall, a great place for a quick semi-annual Mexican food. The tacos are nice and they have good salsas. Also, the ambiance is pleasant.

One of our favorite places to eat on Solano Avenue. Parking can be a bit tough but it's worth it.

This place is good, but nothing completely special. I mean I have been to a lot of Taquerias and this place is average. I'll go here when i want something different, or when a friend suggests it. I'll just say it's good enough for return visits. read more

Just a little update from my Thursday night review..apparently I was too tired to notice I only gave them 4 stars, when really, they deserve 5! The cashier was the cherry on top of the cake :) read more

Ha.. I love me some Cactus Taqueria! I come here every payday.. :) My favorite is their crispy tacos! Yumm! Im getting hungry just speaking about it! Their plates are fillings and salads are delishhh!! They can also make a mean burrito! read more

This is my go-to place for good, inexpensive Mexican food. However, the College Street location is better. (They have more salsas, and the turnover is really fast.) read more

The food at Cactus is fresh and tasty. I really like the watermelon frescas too.

Wonderful crispy steak tacos...excellent strawberry fresca.

Awesome crispy chicken tacos!!! Awesome food in general. Great prices, friendly people, great salsas! We go at least once a week! One of our favorite Friday night spots!!! Have told so many people about it who have become regulars as well! You have to try the tres leches!! Yum read more

The worst fish taco I have ever had. I'm sure it's possible to pile more of their insipid rice and straight from the can black beans, sadly that would have made the taco better because they would have had less room to jam in their frozen fish. Too sad that an animal died for that pathetic end. read more

Food pretty good, location good, price a bit high but that's Solano, friendliness Lacking

Cactus is an old stand by for lunch or dinner when we just don't feel like cooking. You can always count on consistently good food. Tacos are my favorite. read more

Their chicken has really gone downhill, but BOI is the rest of their food a guiltyish pleasure of mine.

I haven't been to Cactus taqueria in awhile, and stopped by for a burrito. I was disappointed with the small 'mejor' size of the steak burrito. Very little meat. They used iceberg lettuce, but there is an e coli ban on romaine so for that I can't complain. They do have a good salsa bar. I don't think that I will return, and will patronize other taquerias nearby that are reliably better. read more

The food at Cactus is excellent. Flavors of salsas and sauces are, in my opinion, the best in the East Bay. Try the crispy tacos, the tamales and chiles rellenos to sample more interesting flavors than the fresh and straightforward -- but not so unusual -- burritos. Whenever I travel, it is Cactus food I crave upon return -- always going in bleary-eyed after a long flight to fill up on their delicious fare. One glaring problem . . . the physical plant of the restaurant is worn out and getting crummy. They need to do a major cleaning and replace the perenially sticky tables, chairs and banquettes. With the huge traffic generated by their well deserved popularity, the place is just worn thin. They should reward their loyal customers with a remodel. read more

My favorite burrito in the Berkeley area. Really high quality stuff--"the $5 burrito" is my basic standard for a good meal. Great desserts too, homemade (-like, at least, who knows?) chocolate cookies, rice pudding, tres leches cake. (I mention flan separately, because their flan tasted weird to me at first but it grew on me over time. But still weird.) I guess some people think there's too many yuppies or kids or something, but I always liked it there, found it pleasant and lively. read more

The rockridge location has a somewhat nicer feel to it, but the food is just as good here, and that's what really matters at a taqueria. The crispy chicken tacos are as good as it gets. I'm getting hungry right now. read more

So I used to live in LA and I am really picky about my Mexican, Cactus can't hang. Next time I want to pay 12 bucks and wait 30 mins for a crappy bland burrito that was made incorrectly I will be first in line. But since this is a recession I will save my hard earned cash for an edible meal. Not to mention the filthy eating areas and restrooms. Who knows maybe they are channeling Tijuana, but charging N. Berkeley prices. read more

THE FOOD:- It's fresh and hot, but if you're looking for authentic Mexican food, you won't find it here. The salsa is bland even the one labeled hot is not hot, at least not Mexican HOT! Less of a variety of salsas than the Oakland location, I was sad to see they don't have the delicious pineapple salsa that Oakland has. The pinto and black beans are flavorless. The carne asada is pretty flavorful, and nice and tender. The rice is delicious. AMBIANCE-This is an Anglo hot spot. Somehow this place has become extremely popular with the Gringo 20-30 something crowd. This place is kid friendly except for one thing-there is a fountain smack dab in the middle of the restaurant, that just screams out, "play with me, dip your little hands in me." But there is a sign hung on the fountain that says, " Please keep your kids off the fountain." So, if you bring y our two year old, just know you'll spend 1/2 your time trying to keep him or her out of the water. SERVICE- There is an aloof and kind of rude woman at the register almost every time I go in there- the heavy set, light skinned one. Once I got a little coke for my daughter without paying, (I had an empty plastic cup that my Horchata had come in,) and she actually followed me out the restaurant to my car and yelled at me! I responded in Spanish, and she said, "I speak English" All of the other servers seem very nice. read more

Cactus Taqueria is my go-to spot for a delicious, casual, and inexpensive meal. The burritos and crispy tacos are fantastic! The salads are only ok. It's a very family-friendly place, so this is a good choice if you don't feel like cooking and your kids are too rambunctious to go to most restaurants. read more

Has been going to the same store for more than 15 years, still just love their chicken burrito with mashed beans and salsa! YUM!!

Two words: Crunchy Tacos. I have friends who drive all the way across the Bay for this place. It is so great! The food is fresh, and the service is very helpful. The only down side is no margaritas! However I will for sure be returning! read more

Decent taqueria, the food is simple and tasty, and they have friendly staff, yet this place seems to have gone downhill since I first started visiting it in the 90's. The food quality used to be much better. It would have garnered an additional star if it weren't for the fact the tables/floors are often dingy, and the last several times I visited, there was a strong odor similar to a dirty floor mop. Ick. It's always busy in the evening so it doesn't seem to bother most people but it makes me want to choose another place to eat on this restaurant-loaded street. I hope they can spruce things up. I say if you're going to grab a burrito to go, it's an ok choice. read more

Don't leave Berkeley without getting the Crispy Chicken Tacos at Cactus Taqueria! They're addicting! I lived in Berkeley for many years, and these tacos always kept me coming back for more! It's a MUST everytime I visit.....So good! read more

The food at Cactus perfectly adequate. I've had a couple of mole burritos over the years, and I eat every bite, but I never crave the flavors-----they just aren't strong enough for my liking. The salsa has a bit of sweetness to it, if you like that type of thing (I don't care for sweet salsas). If I'm in the Solano area and really want a burrito, I ask myself, "Do I want to pay $6 at Cactus for an adequate burrito, or do I want to pay $8.50 for an amazing burrito at The Hot Shop at Solano and San Pablo?"----I'm talking about the delicious and spicy Cajun burrito with steak or lamb and tomatillo plus garlic sauce----like no burrito I've ever tasted before. It's your choice. read more

I love this place but it's really only for one reason, crispy chicken tacos. These tacos are so good I'll drive across town and wait in the sometimes long but quick moving line that forms around dinner time. Best to get there at 5 as the line really picks up quickly after that. Also very family friendly is a plus. read more

Non authentic Mexican food. Guacamole is week and so is there salsa. The food is cold and bland. For real authentic Mexican food go down the street to gordos because their food is a lot better and more authentic. read more

We love Cactus! Their burritos are the best and our 5-year-old loves the Shen's burrito.

Worst service ever. The counter clerks seemed annoyed that you are there and actually buying food. There is no attempt to welcome you or exchange pleasantries. If you order a burrito chips are included but they must count them out, usually less than 5 on a plate. The food isn't cheap and certain folks frequent it like it's authentic Mexican food. It isn't. I know, I'm Mexican. Tables are rarely clean because the staff seldom comes out to bus tables that haven't been cleared. Whoever owns this establishment needs to train their staff to treat all people with respect and friendliness. I won't be back. read more

The food is decent, nothing spectacular but not awful. Basic. The place was clean. The worst part was the attitude of the workers. I have food allergies (fish) and couldn't get anyone to understand. They kept telling me the kind of fish they had. Then, I asked for a side of cheese, which is listed as $1.95 on the menu but they insisted it was $2.95, for a SMALL cup of shredded cheese. There are plenty of other great food places in the area that I would recommend first. read more

My family used to be regulars and huge fans of Cactus on Solano (less so of the one on College). Over the past months to a year though, the quality of the food has gone down - burritos getting smaller and more expensive, and my favorite vegetales asados inside the veg burrito becoming mostly huge stringy pieces of kale (which in moderation and smaller chunks can be wonderful, but this size makes you choke; they also now throw in the chilis whole). Last night was the final straw. Two of us tried the sopa del dia, lentil soup, for $6 expecting a sizable bowl full of a substantial stew with interesting flavors. It was at best a medium-sized bowl, 3/4 full with a very thin liquid and maybe 1/3 lentils & tiny bits of other veggies at the bottom. It also was super peppery and salty, making us not want the salty chips on the plate. After trying to eat half of it and only having a burning mouth, not a fuller belly, I decided to go up to the counter and ask for maybe a spoonful of mild beans or rice to be added so the soup would gain some substance and lose some of the burn. At first they looked at me incredulously, then talked among themselves, then disposed of my half-full bowl (?!), and wound up pulling the entire soup heater forward, scratching some more lentils from the bottom, and filling a new bowl up. While I appreciate the gesture (B for effort), it did not help with the burning taste, and the liquid still did not contain many lentils. My daughter did not finish hers and still had a very upset, crampy stomach for hours after. I also felt weird until I ate a handful of plain almonds at home that took off the edge. My son was okay with his mejor bean&cheese burrito, but it definitely was barely medium-sized (esp compared to Cactus burritos in the past and to the competition's) for a proud $8. So - Cactus is NOT on our fave list anymore! Seems others have a similar opinion - the place was less than 30% full during still-prime dinner hours of 7-8pm. (But its tables and restrooms were sticky as ever - can't they improve that, or is it their trademark?) I'd hate for another Solano business to disappear, and I hope Cactus can up its game again. read more

Great food and such a deal. Way better than Picante! Get the crispy chicken tacos-- to die for!

I loved the food: fish taco for me, pollo asado burrito mejor for the husband, and a very reasonably priced kids' burrito. But the customer service needs serious work. It seems they do a huge phone-order business, but there is no separate cashier for those folks. So they barge to the front and seriously increase the wait time of those who are ordering and eating in. It does not help that this Cactus is located on Solano, and thus caters to a lot of very entitled people who give the rest of us white people a bad name. People kept cutting in front of me to pick up their phone orders, and not one of them even made eye contact and said "Excuse me." They can't be helped, but the cashier clearly prioritized those people, and didn't acknowledge that my transaction kept being interrupted. I was seriously about to Vulcan nerve pinch a soccer mom. (And I am one.) Take a cue from Picante and get a special phone order/take out line! read more

My favorite taqueria in the Bay Area, but I don't get over to Solano often enough. The three crispy tacos are to die for. The pozole is awesome. read more