Let me preface this review by saying this restaurant is not for people who want a traditional restaurant dining experience. Buffalo Trails/Cactus Room is a place for the adventurous, the courageous, and the patient. This is the kind of establishment where a French family of tourists walked in, took a quick look and immediately walked out. This is a restaurant that only has a hand written signboard for a menu and doesn't have a dessert menu at all. Instead, the proprietor announces the available desserts (all handmade by him) during the meal to the whole restaurant. This is a direct quote: "I made this pie for the first time ever today and I thought it was great" in reference to a lemon meringue pie if I remember correctly. This is a restaurant I'm not sure deserves a 1 star review or a 5 star review. We were not intending to eat dinner here at all but we saw the "Bob's famous buffalo burgers" sign in the window and Nick at the smoothie place in the parking lot convinced us to go after we asked about the burgers. The Trading Company/Restaurant is run by chef/owner "One-eyed" Bob (he unfortunately lost an eye in a car accident) and his one "waitress", dual citizen and possible felon* AJ, who, 5 minutes after we entered the establishment, had to run out to settle two arrest warrants relating to overdue traffic infractions. She provides basically no service - we never got water during our meal, she put in an extra burger order for us that we never ordered, and she disappeared for multiple long stretches (with Bob asking us where she went), etc. But I suppose that's forgivable given how flustered she was? Bob, on the other hand, is exceptionally friendly and talks to every customer like an old friend. There were two other groups in the restaurant with us, one from the Netherlands, another from Michigan, and he treated all of us like old pals. With all that being said, the food here is absolutely delicious. Everything is made fresh to order - the potatoes are hand cut and fried, the burger patties are hand shaped and charred, the vegetables are sliced to order, etc. Buffalo Burger ($16.50) - Crisp lettuce, fresh sliced tomato and onion, and mayo makes a simple burger. The buffalo patty doesn't taste like any buffalo meat I've had in the past. It's barely gamey, but instead is mixed with seasoning that enhances the umami qualities to the max. It's served literally with a puddle of rendered fat/grease right on top of the patty. It's surprisingly great for dipping the fries in. The fries are hand cut, single fried, and are surprisingly good. They are pale but have a lightly crisp exterior and tender interior. I don't normally like single fried fries (ala In-N-Out), but these are superior to those sad and limp fries. The fries are salted perfectly and have a flavor that can't be beat. I'm thinking Bob fries these in rendered beef trimmings or something because they are delicious. (5/5) Wagyu Burger ($16.50) - We did not order this, but it was forced upon us and ended up on the bill afterwards. Everything in this burger is the same as the Buffalo other than the burger patty, which size-wise is smaller after cooking due to much of the fat rendering out. I was originally very skeptical of the concept of a wagyu burger - why waste such a perfectly good cut of steak just to grind it up into a burger? What happens to all the fat? Well now I know. This burger is super turbo charred, similar to the kind of charring that can be found in a perfectly lacy smashburger. The seasoning is different from the Buffalo burger, giving a superb umami and meaty quality that isn't too salty. It's a beefy and amazingly flavorful seasoning. I'm not sure what's in it but it gives so much umami and a huge burst of flavor with every bite. (5/5) To be honest, this entire experience was so bizarre I'm not sure if it was actually real or just an act. Kind of like that restaurant that insults their patrons. But AJ's distress seemed to be too real to be an act. Do not visit expecting normal table service. The burgers for all 3 parties arrived at the same time. We actually saw the party from Michigan walk into the restaurant 15-20 minutes before us while we were waiting for smoothies outside. The first party from the Netherlands went in even earlier. It took us 30 minutes to get our food, so those first customers were probably waiting close to an hour. With all that being said, these were honestly some of the best burgers I've eaten in my entire life. I have no idea what Bob does to them to make them so delicious. Bathrooms - One unisex room in the trading post/art section. I don't think it's cleaned very often. *Note: According to her outbursts through the meal, and this is a direct quote: "I can't go back again, orange is not a good color on me" read more

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We had a fun dinner the Cactus Room. The restaurant is very quirky. The staff were very nice, friendly and helpful. The main chef (and owner) was hilarious when he shouted out the dessert menu across the room. The menu is on a whiteboard and our server explained it to us before we got seated. I had the chipotle chicken breast which was moist, tasty and filling. I also tried my partners bison burger which was very good. We got a few homemade desserts to share - Chocolate brownie, apple pie, cherry pie, coconut cream pie. My favorites were the coconut cream pie and the chocolate brownie. A nice evening out. I would come back again. read more

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We had such an enjoyable time dining at The Cactus Room. The food was great, especially after a long day of hiking in Zion National Park. I loved the wagyu burger with homemade fries and a fresh garden salad with raspberry vinaigrette. For dessert, the key lime pie was the perfect balance of tart and sweet. What really made the evening stand out, though, was the service. AJ and Bob were delightful -- AJ kept us laughing all night, and Bob's theatrical recitation of the dessert menu (with backup from AJ and the boys in the kitchen) was an unforgettable highlight. Good food, a welcoming atmosphere, and uniquely memorable hospitality. Thank you for a fun night! read more

Hands down the best Gluten Free dining experience I've had. Bob told us all about the different choices he recommended for the day himself, and they were to die for. Great conversation with local tips for the best views, we chatted about the treasure trove of authentically sourced Native American jewelry and antiques next door. I'll be coming back every time I come this way, and recommending it to all of my friends and family whether they have food allergies or not! (And the iced tea was soo tasty and fresh.) read more

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If you're looking for a Wild West restaurant/gift store that serves Buffalo burgers then this is the place for you. What makes it unique is the irrepressible personality of the place, including the guy running it. When I walked in he was holding court in the front side of the restaurant to the group sitting there describing the various home made pies available for dessert; all of which sounded amazing! I say myself and then as the guy running the place was delivering a few meals behind me asked me what I wanted to eat. At this I had t seen a menu yet so I said "what do you think I should get"? And he said without hesitation " the buffalo burger" so I say great....and an IPA. The burger arrives and he say " don't put ketchup or mustard on it you'll ruin it", so I ate it as is and was delicious; lean, great flavor, fresh tomatoes and lettuce, red onion, fresh sesame bun, and a hint of mayo. Finally, he came by to recite the dessert and because I had heard it three times, I knew what I wanted. I told him " you had me at coconut cream". It came and was perfect; creamy, pie crust, thin and soft, creamy filling, fresh coconut, and whipped cream. I think I will take a look around the shop cuz I'm not ready to leave this treasure....until we dine again! read more

The Cactus Room Restaurant - Coconut Cream pie - American Near Me - Virgin, Utah

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Awesome diner for the best burgers, fries and desserts! All homemade full of flavor. I was very impressed by the vegetarian burger which is house made and absolutely delicious. The owner and staff are light hearted and made our visit memorable and full of laughter. read more

Just went to this restaurant. Not a good experience. $380 + for 6 people. The T-bone steak (we ordered 3 @54.95 each) were almost inedible- cold and worth about $9.95. Two got chicken with sauce - good. One was steak sandwich and was good. Fries delicious. Bathroom was disgusting. Avoid at all costs. Maybe one of the worst five meals in my life. AVOID. And to modify this review - the owner Bob asked how our meal was at check-out and offered no compensation for our meal experience (and yes we told him the steaks were cold and terrible). If I don't die from food poisoning I'll at least have a good story to tell. Balcony 1 across the street is Phenomenal. FYI read more

Don't order the apple pie. With ice cream it cost $19. Not that it was bad but that is the most expensive pie we ever had. We ordered two of them and had no idea they would be that expensive. I feel like we were taken advantage of. The burgers were honestly good but you won't get them quickly. read more

We returned to try the Bison Burger and it was worth the wait and drive. The Pies are sooooooo goooood. The hostess and server Asia was great and kind and such a sweetheart. Bob was there too he is a character and great person. If you're in virgin Utah stop in. Be patient when ordering food takes awhile so be kind and friendly. Great food served here read more

The Cactus Room Restaurant - Warm Apple Pie soooooooo goooood - American Near Me - Virgin, Utah

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I cannot recommend this place enough. For starters, don't go here and get upset that you're not in and out in 30 minutes. You're in for a real treat if you stay. Bob is an owner, server, chef and should be a stand up comedian too. Not only does he excel in all of those, but I can't name a restaurant I've been to that's had better service or food than what he's got going. We had cards at the table to entertain us which was super fun, the restaurant has the feeling that you're sitting down at a family reunion and your fun uncle is taking orders and cooking, all while cracking jokes and making you feel at home. The burgers are awesome, the pie is insane. Get the coconut with macaroon pie and thank me later. I have to reiterate how amazing Bob and his staff were. If you visit Zion and don't stop here, you're missing out big time. Excited to come back any chance I get! read more

Everything is just amazing! Drinks, foods, service!! Love this restaurant! I would recommend going and having a bite to eat and an amazing drink! read more

We arrived at the restaurant just after it opened about 5:20 PM. The chef and guessing owner was very personable and explained the entire menu to us and a few other people who walked in. Our order was taken at 5:38 PM. We requested our food to go at 6:25 when we were told it was almost ready. We walked out with our food at 6:38. The bison burger was very overcooked and the French fries were hard as rock. My husband ordered the pasta salad and it was just ok. read more

The people running the restaurant are super personable and made my wife and I feel right at home. The food was amazing, I had a buffalo burger and my wife had a steak sandwich (the mark 1 special!). We also each had a slice of pie (desserts are made fresh in house!) which were great, we shared a slice of peanut butter pie and a chocolate brownie pie. read more

This meal felt as though you are a guest in a home. A dining experience like you don't get anymore. Family run with friendly service, stories, and kindness. You can tell there is real care in cooking the food. The bison burger and waygu burger are outstanding. Save room for dessert as those are also so good. You'll feel right at home! read more

We ordered the fish and chips and buffalo burger. Tilapia was really good and hot when it came out. Burger was amazing. We also ended up getting the apple pie and the fing brownie pie. The brownie pie was nice and sweet and the apple pie was amazing! Not too sweet. The service was great and the food was great. I will be back here when I'm back in town :) read more

This is a hole in the wall with excellent food! Bob is a fun a character and has so much passion for making good food. I got the American wagyu burger. It was seasoned perfectly. My only complaint is it was too pink inside. We were not asked how we wanted the meat cooked. It still tasted amazing, it's just a mental thing for me. The French fries were perfect, could have used a few more. My husband got the steak sandwich and others got the Buffalo burger. Everyone was happy. The pies were all great. Only bad was the soda was flat. We will definitely be back next time we're in town and I'll ask for my burger to be cooked more. read more

5 stars just because this place is insane. Absolutely chaotic. I guarantee you will experience the slowest service of any restaurant within a 100 mile radius. The owner, Bob, is a character. We were here on a busy night, and spent most of our time talking with all the tables around us about what we were experiencing. We walked in and Bob told us to look at the menu (spoiler... he's going to tell you what to order and if you want a beer, he's choosing that for you too). After we sat down, he handed us a pack of cards and explained how he thinks people should socialize while eating (rather than starting at their phones)... true. He was likely trying to distract us, because he knew it was going take forever for our order to come out. The food is surprisingly good. The buffalo burger was much better than whatever I had expected. Bob really tried to hype us up with his pie selection, but we never got to order because he went missing on us. This is a one man show. If you're in a rush, this is not your place. If you have nothing going on, are in no rush, and are looking for a little bit of chaos, this may be your place. read more

Wow I thought from the reviews and pics on yelp that this place would be better. I wanted to order a dessert to go (famous Apple Pie) and also wanted to check out the place so I could go back the next day and try out their burgers. I ordered my pie and waited 20 minutes. That's when I started to realize It's the kind of restaurant that you walk into and decide you don't want to eat there because it looks dirty. The staff of 3 looked overwhelmed and there were only 3 tables with guests, all who had no food on their table. I could see the cook in the back and he was walking back and forth carrying a bun from the kitchen to the front waitress area finally throwing it on a stack of plates. Not to mention the cook kept wiping his nose with his hand the entire time. They brought me my pie/ice cream and charged me $18.95. The most expensive piece of pie I've ever paid for! The pie was average not famous! Sorry this place is dirty, smells old inside and is way overpriced! Will not be going back. read more

Fantastic food from a quirky, delightful, friendly, hole-in-the-wall. Highlight of our travel day.

Food was on point! Bob greeted everyone who came through the door. There is only one menu and he goes over it throughly & with humor. Buffalo Burger & Chili are what we got for dinner. F-ing Brownie & Ice cream for dessert with a Coke Zero to wash it down. Over everything was fantastic. read more

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We had a terrible experience we ordered T-bone steaks of which were cold and had no flavor to them whatsoever. They were $55 each. The only good part of the whole experience was a cold beer do not frequent this place. read more

The staff is fantastic. The owner is awesome! Wholesome food and beer. And don't forget to get the pie!

The greatest experience ever great burger Seinfeld style entertainment a must stop ! The dessert was epic as well go for the berry pie. Awesome service read more

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the place is unique, located inside along with a native american merchandise store. i think there were only 3 or 4 employees running the show but they made it a personable experience. the owner was engaging and told us the story of how he came up with the brownie pie and also gave us a recommendation of where to go for some views. the food was good, the burgers were a bit dry for our liking but the dessert was amazing. read more

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Hands down, one of the best dining experiences of my life. Bob is the owner and will immediately win you over. He knows what he's about. He's authentic to the core and has become a favorite person (and I barely know him). Big hearted and lovely. Do not be deterred by the outside, which may not meet your expectations. The only menu is a hand written poster near the register, which was unusual. When we walked in, Bob said hello and told us to listen up because he was going through the desserts (not written on the menu). We had a party of 4, two of whom are gluten free. Bob's got that covered: nearly everything can be made gluten free. The chicken salad was made for the sandwiches they ordered! Burgers and fries were top-knotch. You can tell that Bob cares about good quality food and treating his customers right. It was one of those seredipitous experiences where you get jokes and stories for a lifetime. Prices are very reasonable for the area and quality of food. Seriously cannot recommend this place enough. read more

Great service and great food! Pies were phenomenal (got the key lime pie and banana pie), and so were the burgers! Bob sure as hell knows what he's doing! read more

We decided to check this place our while traveling during our boy mom friends trip and our teen age boys (and moms) loved the Buffalo burgers and eclectic atmosphere. Bob the owner was an interesting man that brought made our experience unique. He provided a list of homemade desserts and stories about the area. It was a bit pricey but worth the experience! Don't let the previous comments (one star review) about the restroom experience scare you off... Have an open mind and you'll have something to remember.. oh yea don't forget to sign his visitor book:) read more

We were tired after a long day and after checking in didn't want to drive back into town. This was literally the closest restaurant. We thought it was closed as the name of the restaurant is off to the side and dark. I think the main name on the building is Trading Post of some sort. Bob is such a character. So kind and funny. Very proud of his restaurant, as he should. The food is excellent and the service great! Be patient. They make everything fresh and to order. Play some cards. Worth the wait! read more

The eclectic ambiance, family oriented service and delicious food.... wonderful !! Plus... a gift shop with character !!

Omg! This place is a gem! Bob takes such pride in all the dishes and it shows! His hospitality is something that doesn't exist in the world anymore! He works hard, memorizes your order and ensures you're happy! He has a genuine conversation with his guests. I can't wait to visit anytime I'm in Zion. It's a little place, across from a big restaurant, but don't doubt you won't have a great time. It is truly a wonderful place. read more

Eating here was the highlight of our entire Zion trip. Unparalleled service, Bob is one of the most wonderful and interesting folks you will ever meet. He makes the best pies we have ever had. You should absolutely indulge and order multiple flavors. Eat the burger with all the fixings it comes with, it is perfect - no ketchup or mustard, it is only for the fries!!! We will literally return to Zion to eat at this man's restaurant, it's an unforgettable spot. read more

If you're visiting Zion National Park, The Cactus Room is an absolute must! If you're in no hurry, this place will just make your night! Everything is made to order, it does take a little time to make everyone's food, so don't expect it to come out in a minute. It's truly great fresh food unlike most places. My fiancé and I just got engaged at Zion earlier in the day and were starving. This place was on the route home so we decided to stop. On the outside, it doesn't look like much but the owner on the inside may now be one of my favorite people I've ever met. He's such a great guy and really cares about everyone that comes into his place. We tried the buffalo burger and wagyu burger--both were bursting with flavor and cooked to perfection. The fresh French fries were crispy and golden, and the homemade coleslaw? Out of this world! They even cut he burgers in half so we could split each others meals so we could try both burgers. The owner was incredibly friendly, making the whole experience even better. He told us to play cards to keep us off our phone, he's an old school guy with a great heart. He taught us a lot about the local beers and how he can nearly pick everyone's favorite taste in beer by looking at them. If you have room you have to get the desert. We were blown away by the dessert menu--it was so hard to choose, but we went with the lemon meringue pie and apple pie with ice cream. Both were simply divine. We even grabbed a piece of peanut butter pie to go, and it didn't even make it home because it was so good we devoured it in the car! Truly, this was a perfect night for my fiancé and I and we will never forget it. It was the perfect way to end our day and an unforgettable dining experience! read more

This restaurant is fantastic! We stayed at The Fairfield Inn in Virgin, Utah while visiting Zion.Bob, the owner, greeted us immediately as well as Mark ! The food was delicious... had the Buffalo burger,fries, and took home one of the delicious brownies! Anyone visiting Zion needs to come here!! By far.. our best meal so far! And... the staff is like a family who are all so so friendly!! It does sit back a little but follow the gps! You will love the food!! read more

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While visiting Hurricane, UT it was my night to pick where we ate and I looked and looked on Yelp and found this place. PLEASE read the reviews and DO NOT PASS IT BY. At first look we actually thought we were in the wrong place but walked in it was awesome. Bob is the man and has awesome stores and trust his suggestions. We had the Bison burger, ribeye steak sandwich, chicken salad. Everything was fresh and really great! Don't skip the pies! Apple from his moms recipe, key lime as good if not better than anything I've had and the coconut! Man this place is awesome don't let it fool you! read more

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I just woke up the next day thinking about this burger and this experience. Do not write this off. Do not pass this place. Sit down, eat the food Bob recommends the way he recommends it. Drink the beer he recommends with it. Slow down, Savour the whole experience (including Bob) and be thankful you trusted mine and dozens of other great reviews. If you have a pretentious bone in your body, move along. If you want to slow down and enjoy something really humble, honest, and delicious - this is your place read more

The Cactus Room Restaurant - Table view - American Near Me - Virgin, Utah

A wonderful experience tonight at the cactus room the proprietor sir bob was such a character telling stories about his experiences growing up with native americans. We shopped his chic boutique of native american art while we waited forour dinners to be made from scratch. Food was excellent the experience was amazing highly highly recommend this place for a one of a kind night out! read more

I left the restaurant and skipped if that says anything about this place. Hands down one of my new favorite restaurants. Service was great. Wagyu burger was delish. Coconut crème pie . Go here. read more

Maybe the best restaurant I have ever been to, extremely unique! They make all the food by hand right then as you order it! And I would not skip desert, the best pie I have ever had! This small business is definitely one worth supporting! read more

If you are looking for a fun and delicious place to eat after hiking all day in Zion this is your place! Both the server and chef were so helpful and welcoming. We got the buffalo burger with fries and sadly were too full for dessert. They have several fresh made pies that sounded delicious! Off the side of the restaurant is a showroom that celebrate Native American artist. Lots of cool jewelry and art! We will definitely go again next time we are visiting the park. read more

Absolutely PHENOMENAL experience at The Cactus Room! My friends and I briefly reunited in Virgin, UT for just one (1) night on our respective road trips / summer vacations; I hadn't seen these friends in eight (8) years -- they live in Nashville, TN, and my husband and I now live in Los Angeles -- and we were all scheduled to go our separate ways after dinner that evening. So, our time together was brief, and we knew we needed a meet-up spot for dinner that would at least "get the job done" and (with any luck) wouldn't create a(n) "oh-God-why-did-we-come-here?" sort of experience... BOY, did this place ever DELIVER (and HOW)! First off, The Cactus Room is an unassuming, quasi-"hole-in-the-wall" type of restaurant (as all the very best restaurants are -- let's not argue with the late Anthony Bourdain on that, shall we?); it's actually located INSIDE a gift shop called Buffalo Trails Trading Company. You walk in and are immediately greeted with a few dusty racks and display cases of local souvenirs, knick-knacks, and handicrafts amidst interior decor that feels immediately old AND PERFECT (think: a steer / buffalo skull, a chandelier made of entwined antlers, split wooden log beams lining the ceiling, etc.). The place had (nay, HAS!) impressively high reviews on Google, and it was only 3 miles down the road from our respective campsites. So, we weren't sure what to expect, but the convenience enticed us, and signs were certainly promising... We all got burgers (3 of them were the joint's "world-famous" buffalo burgers , and 1 was a veggie burger), and we all agreed that these rivaled ANY burger we'd ever had in our lives. The homemade French fries were so fresh, and unmistakably hand-cut (the BEST)! And the owner / server / host extraordinaire -- Bob -- was a real character, with a heart of gold. He was quick, funny, so real, and so thoughtful. Bob even had gluten-free buns and (totally delicious!) veggie burgers on hand, so my friends (one of whom has Celiac disease, and the other of whom is vegan) were 100% accommodated from the get-go, and we were so grateful! To top it all off, Bob later verbally rattled off a dizzying list of his homemade desserts to us -- there must have been 7 or 8 fresh pies from which to choose, and they all sounded INCREDIBLY delicious; we only wound up trying the banana cream, the peaches 'n' cream, and the appropriately named "damn brownie" (!) with chocolate gelato on top, but those were all show-stoppers, and they proved to be the perfect ending to a most-satisfying meal. If there was anything BETTER than the food (which, again, was extraordinarily good!), it was the warm, hospitable service and the quirky ambiance; it was more like being invited to eat in someone's home (or attic -- LOL!) than just "dining at a restaurant." We almost felt as if we'd actually met the REAL "Bob" from the hit animated TV show, "Bob's Burgers", only instead of an unnamed New Jersey seaside community, the man -- and his fabulous business -- can be found next to Zion National Park, in Virgin, Utah. If you're ever in the area, GO. HERE. Don't even seek other recommendations; even a lot of "locals" in the area don't seem to know about this place, and they are unquestionably MISSING OUT! The Cactus Room is a diamond in the rough, and -- in terms of eateries -- a true oasis in the desert. read more