Good food, fair pricing. Atmosphere very casual. Waitstaff friendly and knowledgeable. Audrey, our waitress was on top of services. Only complaint is the mock margarita for my wife was nearly twice the price of one with alcohol. Something about special agave to make it taste like a regular margarita. Been there several times and would recommend it. read more

I placed a pickup order through the DoorDash app. I went to the designated pickup area at the scheduled time. I waited approximately 3-5 minutes, and although there were around 10 employees nearby, neither I nor the gentleman in front of me were acknowledged. No one asked if we needed assistance nor did they attempt to notify the employee responsible for the pickup area. I've been a customer before, and it's disappointing to say that the quality and service seem to have been going downhill. I genuinely hate to see that because I've had great experiences here in the past. As soon as I received my food and got to my car, I took a bite. I ordered the Queso with Chorizo, and it was barely warm. The cheese wasn't hot at all, even though I picked up my order at the exact time I was told it would be ready. Less than three minutes later, it was already cool. On top of that, the chips were overwhelmingly salty. I also ordered the Cowboy Quesadilla. On a good day, it's one of my favorites, but today it was very disappointing. It was also not hot and seemed like it had been sitting out for quite some time. I expected my food to be served fresh and hot, didn't want to get something I'd have to reheat as soon as I got home. Overall, I'm really disappointed with this experience. I hope this feedback is taken seriously because I'd love to see the quality and service return to what they used to be. read more

I love the environment of this place. The decor, plants, artwork, and all the little details throughout the restaurant make it feel creative, unique, and fun to explore. It's definitely a great spot for taking pictures and soaking in the atmosphere. The service was also very nice and attentive throughout our visit. Unfortunately, the food was pretty mediocre. The quesadilla was decent, but a bit saltier than I would have liked. It tasted like a standard quesadilla you could get almost anywhere and didn't really stand out. The tacos were even less impressive. The Gringo taco was fairly bland, and the olives didn't seem to work well with the other flavors. While the ambiance and service were highlights, the food itself didn't quite live up to the experience. read more

The Velvet Cactus - Baja Quesadilla - Mexican Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

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We only came for apps and drinks, it was very busy, the service was mediocre at best. It's a very confusing place, where to find the entrance and go in is long and weird. We got the chips and chorizo queso, which was okay. The chips tasted like they had been sitting out for a while and the queso didn't have much flavor. The night time atmosphere was pretty neat, we sat outside and it was fun to see the lights and water feature with the overhang of the trees all around. read more

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The restaurant and atmosphere is super cute and would say it's a good place to take kids since they do have a good outdoor area for them to play. The food was nothing to write home about. I had salsa, chicken tortilla soup, and the Mexican pizza I wouldn't order again. My margaritas were also average. Think it is more of a cutesy grab a drink and hang outside type of vibe read more

Wow...it brought back memories from the VC in Baton Rouge (now closed). We moved away but the flavors were same as it was back then. The tacos, corn with crème drizzle ohhhhh. The venue is relaxing and neat retro. Service was generally on top of it. So glad we visited and look forward to our next visit. read more

The Velvet Cactus - Booth table area - Mexican Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

The restaurant is very nice, the food was amazing, I was highly impressed z I had at first ordered the Brussels sprouts ( I heard that they were phenomenal, just not for me!) I switched them for black beans. Nevertheless, I plan to come back. read more

The Velvet Cactus - Taco Plate - Mexican Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

My daughter and I stopped here on our way back from a weekend in the city. All I can say is the place is absolutely cute and the service was good. The food was absolutely delicious. Can't wait to go back. read more

The Velvet Cactus - Grilled Fish Taco - Mexican Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

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My husband and I visited on Friday, and it was a quite slower day. We were warmly greeted, and although there was a hiccup with bugs in both drinks, the waiter apologized and kindly brought out fresh ones. We really enjoyed our appetizer, the crawfish boil dip, which was absolutely delicious and served with chips. The taco salad was a bit disappointing compared to previous visits, and my husband noted that the shrimp in his fajitas lacked flavor. Overall, it was an okay visit. read more

The Velvet Cactus - Crawfish boil dip - Mexican Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

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Meh. I just find this place to be overrated. I've tried in several different occasions. One time I ordered a large margarita and it came in a Togo cup with salt on the plastic lid, LOL. Service is mediocre, food is very much washed up texmex, I should've known...if the salsa and queso isn't very good neither would anything else be. Love the vibe, and great neighborhood feels but the food just didn't do it for me. read more

Very popular spot near me. Not the most authentic and best Mexican in nola, but some items are very good and they can take large parties. The service is typically very accommodating and quick. They can get a line so wait times are to be expected. It's beautifully decorated, outdoor and indoor seating, as well as fun outdoor hangout area with outdoor games (not pictured.) The chicken enchilada I had came in good portions for price and tasted pretty good. Could have been a little more flavorful. My friend got the chicken fajita and that was very delicious, also good portions. The queso is great, and salsa and chips came with the meal. I'm not a drinker but I do hear they have some great drinks too. Overall, 4 stars for quick and attentive service and big portions for price. read more

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I have friends who absolutely adore this restaurant, and the decor is cute, they sell local artists' artwork, and they have the ambience of an old school Suburban Chichi's, so I suppose this is exactly what we want. Their queso and chips are good, although it is hard to mess up queso, and of course they're two for one margaritas, which they will combine for you in one large cup, are also good, but again not hard to mess up. The staff is great. They are very attentive and very fun. My problem comes with the 'real' food. I have tried their chimichangas, I've tried some of their tacos, I've tried brussels sprouts and a few other sides, and I'm just not impressed. I keep hoping they're going to be great because my friends all love them, but I am not the biggest of fans, and that's okay. They're nice to go on special occasions when you have groups, and I'm sure there's something on the menu other than queso that's delicious, but if I'm going to spend that kind of money, I would rather go up Harrison street to a competitor. read more

Over priced food, this places makes everything possible to charge you more money. The menu is slightly confusing, why confusing? Bc they will charge you extra for damn near anything. I won't go into detail bc it's too much, waitress wasn't very attentive and had my "cups" empty for wayy too long. If you're 6 ppl or more they will charge you an extra 20% gratuity.... That spiked our bill to $200++!!!! This place is a total cash grab, food is mid only good thing I took from this place was the nice decoration... my entire party left VERY unsatisfied of this place. Overall BUNS establishment, I hope I never go back there. read more

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Great happy hour! Love their queso, quac and beans appetizer and their eggrolls. Fakitas are great and the service is really good too. We always have fun here. Good for kids. Lovely outdoor patio. read more

The Velvet Cactus - Cinnamon Churros with ice cream! - Mexican Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

Velvet Cactus is the most unique Mexican gem in the city! The ambiance of this place is unbeatable, with excellent indoor and outdoor seating. A great place to dress up for a girls night, or dress down for a casual dinner. Especially during the Christmas season, they offer bubble tents and transform the place into a winter wonderland. Everything I have tried here has been great! But my all time favorites are the salsa and the cheese grits. I crave both of them! I recommend getting the taco plates. They are super yummy with a better portion. Most of the plates they offer are big portions so I normally have a lot to take home. They also have yummy margaritas with a great happy hour! The service is great too with very nice and thoughtful servers. Our server came to check on us and refilled anything we needed. Love love love!! read more

The Velvet Cactus - Tex Mex Eggrolls - Mexican Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

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Way way way too overpriced for what you get Staff is meh and food is basic quality yet very overpriced Cocktails stink too read more

Love the outdoor seating! Great ambiance, friendly service, and such delicious drinks. A perfect spot to relax and enjoy a nice evening! Food has always been delicious. read more

Feeling deceived. I met a friend here for drinks and appetizers because they have a lovely outdoor seating area and it was a beautiful day. I ordered a margarita and went back for a second one, hoping to get a smaller size. I was told by the bartender that she could make a smaller size but I would still have to pay for a full size, to which I agreed. Then she let me know that she went ahead and charged me a few dollars less because she made my second margarita a single with only 1 shot. I was confused. She said my first drink was a double, and she confirmed that the menu doesn't disclose that. She said all of their margaritas are doubles but it doesn't say that anywhere on the menu. I was very upset as I would never had ordered a double when I was driving home. How awful that these people aren't transparent about what they are serving you in their bar. read more

This is a very very very good resturant the chips and queso is very good and the best

How have I not reviewed The Velvet Cactus yet? I eat here at least once every two months! Ok, my fault. I started coming to this place before the pandemic. It has remained remarkably consistent and I have always enjoyed it. The wait staff is always very friendly, although they seem to have a good deal of turnover. I have always had good service though, no matter what. One of my favorite things about the Velvet Cactus is that they serve their salsa warm. I don't know what it is about warm salsa but it just tastes better that way! We usually have an order of the queso with Molida beef, although we didn't get that tonight (trying to at least pretend to be keeping up with resolutions). Instead we went straight for the entrees. I'm sure a huge portion of the menu is great, but I can't seem to order anything other than the Big Burrito. It's filled with proteins, rice, and all sorts of deliciousness, and if I have perfection, why try something else? Ok, the truth is I've sampled some of the other dishes and they all have been terrific, I just really like the burrito. I have a couple of observations about the bar. First, their drink service used to be very slow. However, it's improved every time Ive been here, and now it's very fast, and I mention it only because it's very good now. The second thing is that I'm not a huge fan of their margaritas. It's 100% personal taste, but something about their recipe doesn't work for me. Lots of people I have talked to heartily disagree with me and really enjoy them. Again, it's personal taste, so I stick to their beers and everyone is happy! read more

The Velvet Cactus - Beer and chips!! - Mexican Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

Velvet cactus. I love the ambience of the place and the employees are really great! The food on the otherhand is not good at all. Its all basic. Its not really mexican driven. The last few times I have visited it hasnt been good. The employees 10/10 Service 10/10 Food 2/10 Its just not great but this is just an opportunity that can be changed. like I said, Everything else is fantastic but the food is not good. Change that and we are golden! read more

This is a great place to hang out with your friends and family. The service was very good. Our server was friendly and attentive. I love the fried fish taco and steak taco. Plantains and Brussels were tasty. My son loved playing connect four. I wish that they still had ceviche on the menu! read more

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Ordered at the bar and brought my "take out" queso & chips to the courtyard. Beautiful space, great music, and fantastic drink! Queso was good and hot but the chips they sent out were probably made this morning; neither warm nor crunchy. The bag was soaked so much at the bottom that it left a puddle of grease where I put it down. Sadly, when I went in and put the bag of chips on the bar and asked for fresh chips, no word of apology was given (nor any other utterance). That's poor food AND poor service from the dark haired gentleman attendant. My advice is: check your chips before you leave the bar area and don't expect an apology where there ought be one. read more

The Velvet Cactus - Mexican Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

One could argue the theming of this restaurant is among the best for Mexican restaurants in New Orleans. New renovations really open up the space and makes the occasional wait not bad. Got the Baja fajitas with the chips and queso. Left full and happy. My go to for Mexican restaurant in Lakeview and Metry. read more

My sister recommended the is place and we checked out the photos on Yelp and immediately said "let's go"! Because the weather was starting to dip, we had to sit inside, but the outside area was absolutely stunning! We sat under some beautiful artwork and stated to read over the menu. I noticed a phone charging station in the table top. Very nice option! I really liked this place because they had Mexican dishes with some New Orleans twists. Since I'm a crawfish lover, I ordered the crawfish banditos as my meal. I asked the server what margarita they recommended and they said the watermelon was a top choice. It was absolutely delicious and I'm not a big watermelon fan. The food came out and my dish was ok. There wasn't much crawfish and there was a ton of the pastry. Very tasty, but not much meat. That's my reason for the 4 stars. read more

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We did the bubble meal with friends and it was the best! Never been here and everything was wonderful. Jonathan our server was the BEST! Will definitely be going back! The ambiance was great! We laughed and had so much fun! read more

The Velvet Cactus - Globe dining experience - Mexican Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

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I use to love Velvet Cactus it seems like it has feel off over the years. The drinks and food use to me really good but now it's mid. Drink are really strong unless it's Cinco De Mayo. I had a taco salad recently it it's the worst taco salad I've ever had. The used the heart of lettuce with big chucks that was hard to cut into and eat, the amount of guacamole was overpowering to the point I have to remove half to even try to enjoy it. I ended up just eating the shrimp. The service is good though. read more

The Velvet Cactus - Taco Salad Bowl - Mexican Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

I ordered the Southwest egg rolls and they were awful like they were sitting out in a fryer all day.

To start, what I liked here is how great it is decorated and the beautiful outdoor area. My waitress was very helpful, friendly, and extremely accommodating. The Mango Mojito was delicious and packs a punch, I only needed one. I absolutely disliked the food here. I ordered the Beef El Big Burrito with light rice and it had no seasoning whatsoever. The taste was very bland, even with green chili added. My waitress took it back and put in an order for the Beef Brisket El Big Burrito. It came out with extra rice and no sauce on top. It was absolutely bland with no taste at all, even when adding green chili and hot sauce. I felt bad too say anything about it but my money was at stake here and I still needed dinner. I confessed that it was not good, and my waitress recommended the Baja Quesadilla. She brought it out and, though it was better than the burritos, it still lacked a fully enjoyable flavor. The bottom line is that this place does not season their food accordingly. The food here is very bland. Come for the drinks and that's it, and come with another person or a group. They are not accommodating to people dining or having a drink alone. The bar area is extremely cramped with little to no seating, so this leaves you to dining alone and only having your waitress to talk with. read more

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This place is such a vibe!!! Came here on our girls night and the vibes were just so cute. We came the week after Christmas and all the decorations were still up with all the heaters. Our server, Jonathan G, was the best!! He was super cool and asked us all about our night plans & if we were out for any special occasion. Drinks were good! read more

The Velvet Cactus - Mexican Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

I love the flautas and tacos. The chips and salsa never fails. The staff is always super nice and friendly. They are always busy so it's chaotic and loud sometimes. The overall atmosphere is friendly and creative. read more

Tanya was an amazing server ! Our food was good as well as the sangria margarita! Tanya was beautiful and had a great attitude! read more

The atmosphere here is so next level and the food never disappoints. Love best here in evening for the lighting. The art is very cool too

Everything was really amazing from ambiance to food to our server. We will definitely be back.

I really like the atmosphere in this restaurant. But I found sitting situation to be very frustrating. I went to a host asking for a table for 7. She took my name and number and said that she can't sit us until everyone arrives ( 3 of us were already there). I went back to her a few minutes later saying, 6 of us were there and we need a table. To which she replied - all 7 ppl should come to her and then she can sit us. All 6 of us went to her and she said she didn't have a table, that's why she couldn't sit us. But in a minute or 2 we had a table. I don't know what it was all about. Did she really need to see all of us? I also called them earlier trying to make a reservation, which they didn't accept. But we had a really sweet server Jonathan. He made sure we all had our drinks, food and he was very attentive, but not intrusive. Food portions are big, especially the family meals. Parking can be challenging, but if you don't mind walking, you can find space on the side streets. read more

The Velvet Cactus - Mexican Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

This place is so beautiful like a jungle oasis at the beginning of Harrison coming from the park. They have a happy hour that offers 2 for 1 margaritas frozen and house and I was happy with the strawberry frozen set I got for $12.95. read more

Friendly staff, delicious queso, tasty chimichanga, delightful desserts and strong drinks!! We celebrated bday with 7 guests. They accommodated us at a table after the booth was a bit tight. I understand not taking resetvations and sitting outside wasnt too hot while awaiting a table read more

The Velvet Cactus - Cat art - Mexican Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

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My first ti.e trying the Velvet Cactus. I went with some seasoned pros. The food was on point. The service was very good. Our server, knowing it was my first time, was helpful with suggestions. The ambiance was amazing. The outdoor seating, of course, would be better in the fall, and spring was truly delightful. I rate it a 10/10 and will definitely return. read more

An amazing place! A one of a kind rather bizarre restaurant second to none. Sometimes rather noisy but it fits well with the place. Food unique which blends well with the decor! read more

We had Tonya H and all I suggest is she check on her tables more often. Food was excellent.