Cactus

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n9840153

Joined 3 years ago

Great way to enjoy Alki. Its hard to find a good place to eat on alki, but this one always catches my eye. Its located across from the beach and has a small outdoor patio with a little furnace where you can enjoy the smell of the water with a little bit less sand. Not the best view of the water and parking can be difficult. Menu is mexican like with some vegetarian optins. I enjoy the charred asparagus, but mostly go here for the drinks and the atmosphere. Inside is a nice circular bar area if its too busy to wait for a table.

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CSMobileUser3

Joined 5 years ago

Best Mojitos and Cevice. Been frequenting Cactus at Alki for some time. Greatest Mojitos I've had, to date and the summertime offering of Cevice is awesome. Great hideout! Floor in front of restroom is a bit slippery - watch out ;-) Go hungry - you'll be stuffed beyond belief

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rossdale45

Joined 6 years ago

Drinks with the Girls. Ok, The drinks are great, the view is unbeatable, and the service is friendly and fun. But, the food is pretty average. I had the Blue tamale and infact arrived on our plate-Green, not blue.(curious.) The banana leaf made the polenta green and hard to chew. The wild boar(in the tamale) was quite tasty, however. You know, we'll have to go back in the summer and try it again especially for drinks and gossip. Fun spot.

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hanayun1

Joined 6 years ago

Best Happy Hour!!!. My boyfriend and I frequent Cactus for their affordable happy hour appetizers and for the best mojitos in town! The portions are huge so bring your appetite and a couple of friends :o)

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xtine17

Joined 6 years ago

The Best Mexican Restaurant in West Seattle - and possibly the entire city. If you like delicious, fresh Mexican fare with a twist in a chic modern building with beach views, this is a great place. A hearty welcome to another restaurant with delectable food in West Seattle-- we NEED it!

The acoustics are the only reason I can't give the place 5 stars. Unlike other Cactus locations, there was no line and wait here; we were seated promptly on a Friday evening. The service was cordial and the food was phenomenal - even better than at the original Madison Park location. You will never get greasy, heavy Mexican fare here -- it's all fresh and fantastic. Sizzling tender fajitas with fresh veggies and guacamole in portions that will leave you satisfied. I really wanted the flan but I thought I'd pop! Also, the bill was very reasonable for all that we consumed.

Though I agree that the acoustics could be better, I think giving the place one star for only that reason is extremely harsh, unfair, and unwarranted. It's a classy-beachy restaurant after all, and there's no way I'd want the owners to ruin the modern chic interior with "stuff" (or heaven forbid, carpet!) to cut down on noise-- which is all they could do at this point. So it's fair to say that I'd deal with the noise so as to not detract from the visual harmony of the interior. It's also in a gorgeous setting, so if noise gets on your nerves, help yourself to another fabulous margarita! Then your attitude might consider the setting "lively" rather than "noisy." If you're looking for a quiet intimacy, this is obviously not the right choice.

Doesn't Recommend

seattletim

Joined 6 years ago

Good Food - Horrid Deafening Environment. Eat here if you like quality Mexican food with a twist - and enjoy eating in an echo chamber with people yelling in your ear all through dinner. This restaurant is crowded and unbearably loud. To me, this takes your mind off the quality of the food that they serve. THe server we had was excellent - the food good - the room tastefully decorated. Why do they not seem to care about the noise level when so much attention goes into everything else? Why pay this much to be tortured? A few drapes and acoustic tiles and the problem would be solved. As it is now, Cactus is unbearable and not worth the wait. There are many other restaurants with pleasant and caring environments nearby. Please fix this - I want to enjoy your restaurant.

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Contributor

Joined 10 years ago

Folks flock here for tasty tapas and the winning mix of Southwest, Mexican and Latin flavors.. The Scene
This Alki Beach neighborhood spot draws in everyone from families socializing over sangria to boisterous parties of folks fresh out of college. On weekend nights, it's likely that hordes of customers will be waiting to be seated, but a little patience will be rewarded with a meal that seldom disappoints.

The Food
The menu offers everything from classic fajitas to sweet Yucatan carnitas. Skip the breaded blue corn calimari in favor of a serving of the kicky house guacamole and a mushroom and fire-roasted quesadilla starter, perfect for sharing. Those with spice phobias should head straight for the mild butternut squash enchiladas, while those with large appetites should order the house specialty fajitas, which come loaded with extras like grilled vegetables, sour cream and warm tortillas. Finish the meal with bananas dulce, a warm, melting mix of seared bananas, rum sauce and coconut ice cream.