Cactus Cantina Mexican Grill
3849 Gulf Shores Pkwy, Gulf Shores, AL, 36542
Cactus Cantina Mexican Grill Menu
Sorry, We are updating this restaurant menu details.
Visit below restaurant in Gulf Shores for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Gulf Shores for healthy meals suggestion.
Sorry, We are updating this restaurant cholesterol menu details.
Sorry, we don't have Q&A for this restaurant.
Sorry, No Coupons available for this restaurant.
-
Address :
3849 Gulf Shores Pkwy
Gulf Shores, AL, 36542 - Phone (251) 943-8115
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
Sorry, Store hours have not been updated. If you are the owner of this restaurants. Please update the store hours.
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : No
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : Free
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Categories
Mexican Cuisine
If you enjoy Taco Tuesday, then you have officially fallen in love with the Mexican Food. The main grain of Mexican cuisine is maize. Also known as corn, maize is grown for the past 9000 years after the crop was discovered by the people in Mayan civilization. Mexican empire flourished when they started growing beans, tomatoes, chili pepper, sweet potato and cactus. Till this date these ingredients are used in cooking authentic Mexican dishes and drinks.
Great use of spices, fresh chili pepper dishes like fajitas, tortilla chips, corn chips, salsa, chimichangas, burritos, nachos and quesadillas are invented in America. But when you are looking for authentic Mexican food then you must find a restaurant in the city that serves Rajas con Queso, Garbanzo in a Guajillo Chile Sauce, Pork Filled Chiles Rellenos, Chiles en Nogada, Molcajete Salsa, Pico de Gallo and Frijoles de la Olla. An eye-opening fact – Mexican don't like their food hot. They use fresh chili and other spices to create a flavor that lingers in your mouth.
Mexican food is great for those who are Gluten Intolerant as they use Corn instead of wheat in most of their dishes. Also, you can easily find many beans based Mexican dishes. Another dish which didn't get similar glory as tacos or nachos is the Mexican hot chocolate. If you love something hot on a chilly day, then go for Mexican Hot Chocolate. On merry days, you can enjoy the authentic Mexican Drinks like Tequila, Mezcal, Tecuí, Sotol, Bacanora, Charanda, Posh O Pox, Puebla and Pulque. Mexican Cuisine is for people who enjoy strong drinks and hearty meals.
WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES
Looky Weed - Buy Marijuana Online
Looky Weed is here to help you navigate the maze of legalized marijuana. We provide you with a complete dispensary directory.
Jacob L.
If I could give this place a zero I would. Chips and salsa were ok. Stuffed jalapeños were just frozen poppers. Margarita was just a bucket of salt and alcohol. Got the veggie burrito and sent it back after one bite; couldn't taste anything but salt. Got the veggie fajitas, wife got the beef fajitas. Both were over cooked and over seasoned. Couldn't eat more than a few bites. Asked for them to take it back and talked to the manager. He took off the burrito that I literally took one bite of and said it was our fault for not telling him sooner! What impeccable service! Not! It's frustrating not having good Mexican around but please steer clear of this joint and don't waste your money or time.
(1)Stephanie E.
This service was fantastic and on point. We weren't even half way through the chips and salsa before our meal manifested like magic. It was an astonishingly short wait from ordering to eating: blink-of-an-eye short. Wait staff was help and chatty but not intrusive. Decor was the bright gaudy neon trimmed glory that you enjoy in spite of yourself. And don't miss the Cactus Grits. Best damn thing in the state of Alabama.
(5)Dan B.
Great tex-mex food. Cold beer and great service on a busy rainy afternoon.
(4)Judith H.
Love this place. Food is always good and service is outstanding. We always ask for the server, Kristi, she is the best! Can't wait to go back.
(5)Frankie J.
Best shrimp tacos I have ever eaten!!
(4)Carter S.
Get the 3 amigos cheese dip, you can thank me later. I had the fiesta tacos with black beans and grits. Mix the grits and beans together you won't be disappointed. Service was great. And all the food came out super fast. Only complain I have is the margaritas, they were just too sweet for me.
(4)Stephen I.
My biggest gripe was the ambiance. Seriously LOUD environment. My date had a view of a sign that said 'RESTROOMS'. Really? Employees loved to congregate in the hallway directly next to us and chew the cud. Absolutely no opportunity to have a private conversation. The Fajitas were to die for...seriously. Delicious food. The Margarita had to be sent back. The Chips and Salsa had to disappear in order to have room for the fajitas. VERY SMALL Tables. Not enough room for everything like most Mexican Restaurants. No Tequila and way to sweet. Traded it for a Beer. Great Service. Way to hot to sit outside and listen to the two piece acoustic band. Great Music!!! Not sure if I'll return but if so it won't be with a date...
(2)Stephanie B.
My best friends and I took a vacation to Gulf Shores, and this place was on our agenda from the very first day of planning. It's extremely important to note that there is not a definite closing time. We arrived at 9:30PM and the staff seemed like they were ready to call it a night since they close whenever business begins to die down. Since we called ahead and took an Uber to get there, we were allowed to eat our late dinner. Alex provided excellent customer service. She was able to provide suggestions on signature items and the service was incredible quick. My party of five was out the door by 10:05! Everyone in my party loved the Cactus Grits- give them a try if you a grits fan!
(5)Shea M.
We came late (9:40 pm) had wonderful & quick serive... We liked the salsa & cheese dip... My whole family liked their food... We were surprised how fast we got our food!!!
(5)Amy O.
My husband and I went to Cactus Cantina for an early dinner. We were the only ones in the restaurant, a whole table of waiters and other workers sat near us. Someone brought us a basket of chips quickly after we arrived, then no one came to our table. After 10 minutes of waiting and no one had even taken our drink order, we left. Not one person acknowledged us. Very poor service! We will not go back!
(1)Luis M.
I love a happy waitress!!! Food and drinks absolutely delicious!!! After a long day at the beach Cactus Cantina definitely hit the spot!
(4)Kristine E.
Thanks to Yelpers for recommending pineapple chicken fajitas, which isn't listed on the menu yet. OMG! It's wonderful (and beautifully presented). The best fajitas I have ever eaten. The margarita is very good, too. Total cost for fajitas and basic well margarita was $20 including tax. The service was fast and friendly.
(5)Pam W.
I loved it! The salsa was super. The chips nice and warm. The Cactus grits are to die for if you like cheese grits! Large servings. Drink specials. In door or out door seating.
(5)Stephanie C.
Nice little place. Great chips & Salsa. We were more than stuffed when we left and even had take home box. Servers were friendly and food arrived quickly.
(4)Jennifer B.
Came here because we were staying in Foley and the line at Lambert's was just too long. Of course, we then had to wait forever to be acknowledged at the Cactus Cantina, so I suppose we might as well have just stayed at Lambert's. We walked in the door and were seated right away. The chips n salsa came quickly too. However, it then took 18 minutes (I counted based on the time I checked in on Yelp) for a server to come to our table to take the drink order. Part of me wanted to leave them a couple bucks for the chips and salsa and leave, but my 3 year old was hungry. So we stayed. Typical huge portion Mexi-style food. Decently priced. Nothing spectacular. Still annoyed about the wait to place our order... it wasn't even busy.
(2)Bonita S.
Was unimpressed. The restaurant was nearly empty yet they seated us with children in the bar. Food was mediocre at best. Will not return the menu was limited, food bland, avec the chips and salsa were nearly tatsless.
(2)Kelley E.
Waited for about 20 minutes for a table on a weds night. A lot of locals were eating dinner with large parties. Chips and salsa was really good and Beer was ICE cold. Both had tacos, beans and grits. The grits were so good, wish I would have just gotten those. Good food at a great price $25. Service was pretty good. I'd go back.
(4)Lonny T.
best chips and salsa anywhere. my wife loves the dips. the burritos are huge. great place to have a margarita
(5)Jeannie B.
It was ok. The food was nothing special and it took a long time. I asked for white sauce ( a two dollar up charge) on my enchilada and they didn't do it. They put red sauce and still charged the two extra dollars. I didn't point it out because it would take too long to fix at this place. The waitress was nice but too overworked. I would go somewhere else next time.
(3)Alissa B.
The food was awesome. A little pricey for Mexican food in my opinion. Terrible service. It was busy and I get that. But in reality, it's a small place so busy didn't exactly equal a ton of people. And our server walked by us a half a dozen times before even acknowledging us and taking our drink orders. It takes more than crappy service for me to give 3 stars, though. The layout is very awkward and I had to sit entirely too close to the other tables. It was almost as if we were having a huge family gathering. And it was FREEZING in there. Not 'oh, it's hot out so let's crank the AC on high' freezing. No. I was uncomfortable throughout my entire meal, my food was too cold to eat before I was even finished with it, and I had to walk outside twice to thaw out because it felt as though I was eating inside their meat locker.
(3)Bill T.
Great meal, authentic Mexican. The drinks and food came out quickly. The service was great. They have a great outdoor area. We ate on the patio and the experience was really tarnished by all the flies, they were really annoying. Hard to eat when it seems that you have to wave them away between each bite. The waitress said they had tried different things to stop them. I suggest since they cant seem to get rid of them that they look into screening the area. I highly recommend the restaurant... just sit and enjoy the inside.
(4)Gern B.
Very good food and service. Texas burrito was awesome. Chips and salsa were very good to start.
(4)Sarah T.
It was a good Mexican meal. You can pick between a large and a small cheese dip which is great with large groups! I had chicken melt it was delicious. My mom had shrimp deoblo it was HOT she almost couldn't eat it! My daughter had a kids meal and gave it 100 points!
(4)Taylor B.
Went here for lunch on my last day in town..my mom and I really enjoyed our meals! The chips and salsa were nice and fresh. I ordered the chicken fajitas and she got the cactus California burrito. The portions are HUGE. We easily could've split one of those dishes. I plan on going back to eat there next time I'm in town!
(4)Darby M.
Enchiladas have a great sauce and the queso is good - super thick and creamy! I was pleasantly surprised with the food here being from TX. Solid 3 bc the margaritas could use some major improvement, taste super mixey. Guac also leaves something to be desired.
(3)Hee Jeong S.
Had the seafood burrito, and it was sooooooo good!!! The waiter was great and the atmosphere was nice too. One of the BEST places I've eaten at down here.
(5)Rosa G.
It is not mexican food taste is not what I expected!!
(3)Kurt H.
If you have never eaten decent Mexican food, perhaps you wouldn't know any better; but, I've eaten a lot of great Mexican food and this isn't it. From the store bought chips and salsa with zero spice to the beans they heated up from a can to the stale non-homemade tortillas, this place stunk it up. The service was great which is the only reason it qualified for a 1 rating. Do yourself a favor...save your money and hit the taco bell. I promise you that it will be better than this joint.
(1)Chad J.
If you can get past the obscene amounts of cheese they douse their food in, it's pretty tasty. The cactus grits aren't very good- grits with cheese, tomatoes, and peppers; all you can taste is the cheese, but if you're into that, probably not bad. Service was good, prices were okay, restaurant was clean and wait time was acceptable. Just way, WAY too much cheese.
(3)Jane T.
Can't get any better than this. We got Texas fajitas for two. Taking half home. If you leave here hungry, there's something wrong with you. Everything is hand made here.
(5)Kevin G.
This restaurant has mid-range prices for high quality food. Because the food was so good, it has ruined Mexican restaurants for us in our hometown! We had fajitas for 2, and combined with our starters, we had more than enough food and took an extra 2 meals' worth with us when we left. As a side note, because this restaurant is so close to the ocean, the seafood you get is incredible. I recommend the 3 Amigos cheese dip as a starter and cactus grits as a side. Tableside guacamole was abundant and delicious. The in-house salsa was also really good and different from most other salsa I've had at other restaurants.
(5)Tom S.
Awesome place the portions are huge our server Samantha was great, kept checking in with us. Definitely a lot better prices driving north from the shore don't miss out.
(5)Rebekah O.
Excellent service! Had chips at our table in less than 2 minutes. Food was great! Generous portions and the tortillas are stuffed full with meat! Definitely a good Mexican spot at Gulf Shores!
(5)David P.
I ordered the chili relleno, the batter was thick and inedible, the poblano pepper was not roasted and was on the raw side; not a good thing to have when eating relleno. The girl also got my aunts drink order wrong. She ordered a gin and tonic and received a Jim Beam and tonic. Never heard of that. Then when I went to the bar to get it fixed, they did not know that you are supposed to put a lime in it. My daughter did not like her chicken quesadilla, say the cheese did not taste right. My aunt said her burrito was o.k.
(2)Sara N.
Great service and great food! It was my first time here and had a great experience! The waiter was super friendly and will def come back here. :)
(5)Christy C.
Mixed bag....food was pretty decent--we enjoyed the chips, salsa, jalepeno cheese dip, and the Cactus cheese grits that came with my burrito. But the chicken was a bit chewy. I really liked the Amaretto Colada I ordered, too. But they were not busy and the hostess took our drink order, then lost it. Then a waiter finally showed up but was too busy to take our food order. The hostess came and took that, too, then it came out partially wrong. Not sure what was going on with the hostess/waiter situation, but that part lowers my rating. Overall decent, a nice break from all the fried shrimp.
(3)Mike P.
Chips, salsa, cheese dip, guacamole, chile relleno, seafood quesadilla, enchilada supreme, fish tacos, and deep fried ice cream. It was all excellent. We will be back.
(5)Brenda T.
Pretty tasty mexican food! Their salsa & cheese grits were good! Chips a little too greasy for me. The table side guacamole wasn't anything special lacked flavor! Their steak beef quesadilla were pretty good!
(4)Kevin K.
lunch again this time. had burrito cactus with grits and house margaritas. excellent. others from Texas said some of the Best Mexican food they have had. service excellent ate on outside covered patio. overall will go back again.
(5)Lona I.
Just went there for lunch. Talk about yummy. I had the pineapple steak and shrimp fajita. Jot in the menu but delicious. Ask the waitress. She was grwat. Very nice. Definitely worth going back.
(4)Rhonda F.
We enjoyed the vegetarian fajitas. They had bulk with the broccoli and spinach. It was creative and tasty. A little more authentic flavor would have been nice. Was Cumin even used? This is a very nice American/Mexican food. Not anywhere near what real Mexican food tastes like, but still a well put together meal, with a casual, friendly atmosphere. Servers all prompt, polite and fast.
(4)Diane L.
Stopped here last night because I was too hungry to endure the wait time at Lambert's. The service was excellent. We ordered the bean & cheese dip. The chips, dip and salsa were very good. I ordered the seafood quesadilla. My husband chose the chicken quesadilla with beans and cactus grits. I usually do not eat/like grits, but these were cheesy and delicious. The biggest disappointment was the large (HUGE) Rainbow Margarita. It was $10.99, reasonable for the size. It tasted absolutely terrible. The mixer seemed to have a cheap citric acid taste, almost medicinal in a bad way.
(4)Morgan O.
Awesome place, awesome food. The seafood quesadilla was amazing. I will definitely be back.
(5)Luciana P.
Stopped in for lunch and left before we could even order drinks......but not because we didn't want to order rather because nobody was interested in taking our order. Too bad because some of the reviews made the food sound pretty amazing. Maybe next time! Until then, hire a wait staff who at least pretends to care about their customers.
(1)Karen H.
Best Mexican Restaurant in town! Excellent food and service! The Three Amigos Cheese dip and table side guacamole are amazing. We had the California burrito and delicious grilled steak quesadillas. It was all excellent!
(5)James S.
Not sure why the bad reviews. Had guacamole, cheese dip, fish tacos, Texas fajitas wow great food. Service - Vic our server was quick and informative. Wife had a Margarita and loved it. You can't go wrong here.
(5)David C.
Very good Mexican food. The seafood burrito was great, don't miss the Cactus Cantina grits, they are excellent!!
(4)Alabama F.
I was very disappointed in this experience. I stopped in for a late lunch with a friend. The wait staff was less than helpful; I would say barely interested. We sat on the patio and i ordered the sangria swirl margarita and water. The water came 15 minutes after the second time we requested it. The margarita was okay, not too sweet but I didnt order it alcohol free and I sure couldnt detect the slightest hint of tequila. Worse than that buyer beware! There were no prices on the drink menu and I was stunned when my bill arrived and I had paid $10 for a "slushee". The nachos I had were decent if you like cheese sauce, which I didnt mind too much.
(1)Brad B.
Love the Fajitas for 2!!!! Also love the 3 Amigos Cheese Dip. Chicken/Shrimp/Steak in the cheese!!!!! Yum.
(4)Stephen H.
A very fresh and authentic approach to Mexican food, which is hard to find on the Gulf Coast. Service was fast and attentive, the food was very flavorful, presented nicely, and at a great temperature. The burrito is awesome!
(5)Larry S.
Ranchero burrito yumm get the Texas grits cheese and spicy. Really tasty. Good cold beer XX. On tap. Great smiley service. FAST SERVICE. I WILL RETURN ...
(5)Virginia S.
So coming from Brownsville, TX this wasn't so bad. The chimichongas we're pretty good. The rice was delish. Now asking for a dose equis' dressed' was an experienced but all in all pretty good.
(4)Nick B.
Awesome service great food. The atmosphere Isn't too unique but it has a nice vibe it is a very clean place to eat.
(5)Greg G.
Excellent food and great service. Unfortunately the secret must be out because it was very crowded. They did get us seated very quickly. The food was quick and good. I recommend the grits for a side item. That seemed unusual for a Mexican place, but they were awesome.
(4)Taheerah B.
'Maybe I am missing out on something... I read the other reviews, and I super excited to try Cactus Cantina. I entered on a Sunday night, and it was close to 9 (closing time). My dining companion and I were greeted by Alex. She was an awesome server! I order the spinach enchiladas with refried beans and Cactus grits. My friend ordered the spinach and mushroom quesadilla. When my food came out, I was creeped out by the greyish mass that was supposed to be "refried beans". The beans were bland, and I wasn't impressed at all. The Cactus girts were amazing. They were creamy with cheese, jalapenos, and tomatoes. The enchiladas were bland and tasteless. Maybe it was because it was close to closing, but I will go on record to say that these were the worst enchiladas I've ever had. My friend didn't eat his quesadilla because he said that it was bland as well. He was sorely disappointed. The saving grace of the evening was the rainbow margarita, chips and salsa, and our server, Alex. Although I live thousands of miles away, I always travel to the Gulf coast. This is NOT a restaurant that I am willing to visit again.
(2)Brent C.
We loved the good. Kids enjoyed it as well. Pollo cactus melt was amazing. And the pineapple chicken fajitas, not on the menu but recommended by our server were fantastic and large enough to share. Great salsa and cheese dip as well. Highly recommend this place if you are in Gulf Shores.
(5)Suzy G.
First time at this spot, disappointed. Upon entering there were several servers just sitting around. There were probably 7-8 flies swarming around the booth where hostess sat us. Salsa was ridiculously hot (and I love salsa). Server said some days it's hotter than usual. I ordered the spinach enchiladas. Couldn't finish my meal was very heavy and creamy. The fish tacos were good though. Our server had no idea if the fish was wild caught or not and had to go ask. Would have gone to Cactus Flower if it would have been open. Better food, better quality.
(2)Vera L.
Service was outstanding! Daisy was terrific, and very accommodating. The Three Amigos Cheese Dip is unbelievable! The rest of our food was really tasty. The house margaritas were a little sweet/sugary. Overall, the food is excellent, a great value, and we'd definitely return
(4)J H.
Service was awful. Waited 30 mins. and need got are order taken. When we said something about waiting so long the waiter laugh at us and that we haven't waited that long. We got up and left. I have never done that before.
(1)