Cactus Taqueria

10/14/2006 Posted by g_peters

this place attracted my attention one day when i was getting off the BART. it was justs remodeled and it had the look of a really nice fast food place. naturally i had to try it but i was sadly disappointed. their food was mediocre and salsas were so inauthentic they could barely pass for mexican... very gimicky. the decor was the only saving grace. although it was confusing since it looked as if the food should taste good since it looked so nice on the outside but it was a big let down. they claim to use Niman Ranch meat but the way they cook and store their meats really doesn't do Niman Ranch justice. you're better off spending a little more somewhere else to get a nice Niman Ranch Pork loin so you can enjoy it the way it's supposed to be enjoyed. we ordered a chicken salad, two tacos, and a burrito and two drinks between two of us and our bill came out to be almost thirty dollars! the tacos had BEANS in them which in my opinion is totally weird. all i could taste was the beans. the salad was decent and the burrito was just average at best, if that. the only good thing was that i could wash the bad taste it left in my mouth with their draft beer! i hate to say it but this place is really deceiving from the outside in. when i logged on city search to write this review i read all the other reviews for this place and i can't tell you how shocked i was to see such a poor inaccurate representation by a city search editorial... and coming from the other reviews on bad service, and declining quality, i should have read those first before spending my hard earned money at a place that is all bark and no bite.

Pros: close to bart

Cons: flavor, food, service

05/13/2006 Posted by alyk

been going to cactus for 5+ yrs and the food just isn't worth the trouble any longer. the last 8 times we've gotten to go food, there has been a mistake.

04/25/2006 Posted by jcm55

Cactus is my default location for a quick meal. It's walking distance from my house, and the price is right. Best fish tacos and fish burritos I've had anywhere. I see several negative comments about the service here, but I haven't had any problems. It's no five star French restaurant, but certainly on par with other "gourmet" fast food restaurants where you order at the counter.

08/30/2005 Posted by chula

I come here regularly, and now that I've gotten used to their burritos, everyone else's seem to be lacking something. I've never gotten anything but the "burrito mejor" so I can't speak to the quality of the other items. I always get my food to go, because the dining room is always packed with noisy children. The service is very efficient. Oh, and they have a great salsa bar, as any good taqueria should.

Pros: yummy burritos, salsa bar

Cons: noisy, crowded

06/01/2005 Posted by chrisparamore

best in the bay hands down. i love this place and highly recomend to everyone.

05/20/2005 Posted by hjs5114

I lived in Rockridge for three years. During that time I becamed hooked on Cactus Taqueria. The food is always fresh and tastes great, the portions are generous and the service always friendly to me. Now when I return to the Bay Area I always make a special trip to Cactus for the Carna Asada Mejor Burrito on a Spinach tortilla with Black Beans!!!

Pros: Food, Service, Atmosphere

Cons: Not Located near home

08/30/2004 Posted by owenseightbal

I go to the new catus a couple times a month and have never had a problem with the staff. I wait in line get my tacos and go. I am not there to chat with the assembly line. I have only once had my order screwed up. They gave me prawns instead of chicken. What I do find annoying are the patrons. Waiting in line with self important and rude " rockridgers" who think nothing of running in front of you as you walk to the door is typical. Go for the food but run from the patrons.

01/13/2004 Posted by pdevaux

The food at Cactus is tasty and relatively cheap, but the service is anything but stellar. Here's a hint for management: You're surrounded by many equally good burrito joints, so when your staff is surly and confrontational, don't expect customers to just deal with it. Get rid of the lousy attitude -- you're not that good.

Pros: Food, Beer, Close to BART

Cons: Attitude, Lousy Service, Noise Level

10/27/2003 Posted by lupina

I used to be a Cactus regular, eating there at least twice a week. Ever since they moved to their new corner location, however, I have been sorely disappointed. The food quality has gone down, but the thing that is keeping me from ever wanting to go back again is the RUDE service. For instance, every time they messed up my order (which was pretty much every time I ordered, even though I was very clear about what I wanted), they had the nerve to tell me it was my fault. Used to be a loyal customer; now I'm going to better (and friendlier) burrito shops.

Pros: decent food, cheap, convenient location

Cons: Rude servers, Long lines, Noisy