Cactus Restaurant
(206) 324-4140
4220 E Madison St
Seattle,
WA
98112
47.636
-122.278
Neighborhoods: Madison Park, Capitol Hill
Reviews & Ratings for Cactus Restaurant
47 reviews
What users are saying:
Showing 1-10 of 47 reviews
It had been a while
by juanalonso
April 06, 2009
It had been a while since I had been to the Cactus Restuarant on Madison so reminded by the Rachel Ray Vacation show, we headed down on Sunday around 4pm. I remember how great the food used to be and still is. The butternut squash enchiladas are genius! The food is top notch. What it suffers from is what I find in a lot of Seattle restaurants; bad service and weak drinks.
Our waiter would have been more at home guiding a Universal Studios tour bus. He kept repeating exactly the same routine in the same tour-bus style at every table but I'm not sure he listened to anything the customers said. The first thing he pushed was the guacamole. We said yes but he never brought it. He later said "Oh yeah, that was totally my fault". Duh, it sure wasn't mine. There was no attempt to make it better. Also, the tamales were being "pushed" as well because they were "made fresh daily". does that mean the rest of the food is stale? The "Cactus" margarita was super weak, perhaps the bartender also "forgot" to put tequila in it. The table next to us also complained among themselves about the poor service and weak drinks.
It could have been a great experience but the lack of care from management, (and yes, it's the management's fault if you have lousy staff), made the experience more like mediocre inspite of the excellent food.
I'd like to give it another try, but I won't take anyone there that I'm trying to "Seattle impress".
- Pros: Great food.
- Cons: Weak drinks, "phoned-in" service
DON'T BOTHER!!!
by c3b
June 16, 2008
I have heard for years on how great Cactus is.... NOT!!! The food was lacking in flavor , the drinks where just OK??? and the service person was not very freindly.
Good Drinks
by justin70
March 12, 2008
I live close by the Cactus so it used to be my spot in the hood to meet friends. I still go there occassionally because the Mojitos and Margaritas are great but the food has really taken a turn downhill. My recommendation is to go for a drink and the nachos for an early happy hour. If you go later you will end up waiting for an hour or more for mediocre food and will be disappointed.
Good Food - Horrid Deafening Environment
by seattletim
July 18, 2007
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.
mouthwatering food
by irritatedatcustomerservic
June 29, 2007
Cactus has simply succulent food that will make your mouth water when thinking about it. I've been there several times and everytime they have outperformed themselves. The prickly pear mojito is refreshing and their margaritas delectable. It is a little bit pricy for me, but definately worth it for special occasions. I think they would do really well if they opened another location downtown, because Madison Park and West Seattle are a little out of the way for a lot of people.
- Pros: food is heavenly, drinks are divine, interesting and fun space
- Cons: sometimes is quite busy and seating may take awhile
The wait is not worth it
by beary
April 23, 2007
The wait at this restaurant is unbearable. They make you wait outside and when we were there it was raining. It?s really too bad when a restaurant can not respond to paying customers. I can not say that the food here is worth the wait, and the help is surly and the hostess rude and arrogant. Advice ? go elsewhere and avoid the insult.
Great mojitos!!!
by ttothek
December 25, 2006
The food was pretty good, but i do love the mojitos, more than I like the Cactus margarita. The ambiance is pretty noisy on a Thursday evening, but not too shabby. The service was wonderful, and the waitress was very nice and cooperative with splitting the tab with my fellow co-workers. We were a bit too toasted to ask for separate checks! Whoops! But the location is great, and the crowd seems pretty lively. I would recommend making reservations if you're coming with a large group. The meals can be a bit pricey but it is the location. Everything is expensive up in Madison Park. But overall, it's pretty good food. LOL I had the Green Enchiladas, and it was perfectly spicy!
- Pros: Mojitos!!, the staff, and service
- Cons: the cactus margarita too salty, parking can be an issue if the area is crowded
West Seattle Beach Location
by kimmidee
December 19, 2006
I have been to all of the Cactus locations now that they have opened the new one on Alki. The location is great for the summer but the decor is a little ... umm... airport restaurantish. The food is good in all the locations, especially the bacon wrapped peppers. The margaritas are good but on the sweet side. This Cactus is great for the summer with a the garage door walls and the water view.
- Pros: location
- Cons: atmosphere is a little sterile
Worth The Wait
by mandybanks
November 21, 2006
We've been dinning at the Cactus for many years now. It's trendy & can be romantic at a table for two but it's also perfect for a families. The food is amazing. The mohito's are the best. The only issue is getting a table as it's always packed.
Oh my gosh good food
by lorraineruff
October 19, 2006
This restaurant is an excellent place to go for normal and special occasions. The food is outstanding and the hardest part is chosing among the many inspured enress. Favorites include chimichanga, chicken fried chicken, and steak frijita. Such a simple embellishment: the chips and salsa arrive warm, fresh and delicious. Going back tonight!
- Pros: wait staff and mamnagement really care about your experience and enjpoyment; outside street side dining a kick
- Cons: call ahead for reservations; usually seated withoin 10 monutes of arrival time
