Cactus Taverna
2420 N Salisbury Blvd, Salisbury, MD, 21801
Cactus Taverna Menu
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Address :
2420 N Salisbury Blvd
Salisbury, MD, 21801 - Phone (410) 548-1254
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Opening Hours
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Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : No
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : No
Has TV : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : Yes
WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES
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Steve W.
Great Locally owned Restaurant. Service and Food are always good!
(5)John Y.
I had an exceptional meal here after the Seagull Century. I had a softshell crab appetizer and a small plate of shrimp with crab imperial. The shrimp and crab imperial was truly memorable, everything was great - even the salsa and chips. I found the service to be excellent - very friendly and very prompt. I highly recommend Cactus Taverna.
(5)Jeremy N.
Wow live music for dinner? awesome- the food you ask? first of all there chips and salsa as soon as you walk in the door- followed by their soon to be famous Wine margaritas by the pitcher? Absolutely amazing, We had the hummus/goat cheese appetizer, rack of lamb, and roasted duckling, everything was cooked perfect... the owner came to ask how our meal was the first time, and came back the second time with a wine gourd, he has deadly accuracy might I add. All in all highly reccommended place!
(5)Andres D.
Nice little place in Salisbury. I would say that service was on point, I never felt under served, but I ventured off the reservation and instead of going with steak or seafood got the pork chop. Maybe this was my mistake, it was a good try, but over done so it turned tough and dry....pretty hard to do when you stuff something with cheese and prosciutto. As the chop was bone in, it was okay by the bone, but then you miss on the filling. The house salad is unique, a parsley Caesar dressing gives the romaine an interesting taste. I will say they did the hummus well, tasty and just the right amount for an app. I ended with a slice of the Smith Island Cake, apparently the Maryland state cake. Layers of yellow cake and chocolate frosting make this quite a treat. As they were featuring fresh strawberries as a dessert option, I asked them to throw some on with the cake and it was a perfect combination! The owner, Amad, stopped by and we talked about the meal and he took my feedback and wasn't defensive, but took it as a positive experience. For this alone he deserves this rating. It's not the place for my last meal, but I would certainly return in the future. For those with the low ratings, maybe it was an off night or something but everyone employed here brought refills and pitched in to their coworkers to make this a positive dinner experience.
(4)Chad G.
Upon arrival last night at about 8pm the front door had a sign on the front that said "people on yelp love us". I gave myself a hearty chuckle because we were there specifically because of Yelp, and because I know the girlfriend thinks the whole Yelp thing is a little silly. After being introduced to our waiter and given menu's I had an opportunity to peruse the dining the fine taverna had to offer. After studying the menu and specials section for 4-5 minutes(and taking in the other 6-8 specials the waiter rattled off to us) I put it all down, looked at my girlfriend, and said "W.T.F.?" I'm a simple guy, when I want a steak, I go to a steak place, for seafood, a seafood place, and the same for middle eastern, italian, french, mexican, and so on. We came here thinking it would be the run of the mill mexican restaurant(just better by the review rating). All looks from the inside and outside would indicate this is a run of the mill mexican restaurant except of course there was a woman with a guitar playing live music till 9.(top 40 covers) But I swear, the entire WORLD was stuffed into this run of the mill mexican restaurant in a run of the mill stripmall in Salisbury, Md, then EXPLODED onto their menu! Off the top of my head, on their menu and specials, and i'm SO seriously NOT kidding, they had, steak(filet with crab imperial topping), french ((escargot and frog legs(seriously?)), middle eastern (kabobs), seafood (cooked and topped any number of ways). And this is just off the top of my head the next day! Oh, and crap, would you believe they had mexican food? In utter disbelief, I asked our waiter why a mexican restaurant would be serving escargot, frog legs, and kabobs, with traditional mexican fare. He said it was "fusion" inspired. Ah, that fusion word. That trendy hipster nonsense I have grown to really despise. I remember ten years ago when chipotle was a fancy word for spicy. Then suddenly EVERYONE and their baby mamas' aunts' little sister thought they were highfalutin using such big fancy words. Give me a break! Fusion essentially means, well, they want to give you one thing but make it a bit different. In the case of Cactus Taverna, they want to give you everything, even if none of it goes together. This menu was a lot less about fusion and a lot more about fission! We ordered our mexican and it was average. Just average. Exactly what I was hoping against based on the ratings here, but exactly what I expected when I saw the menu. I'm pretty sure my chimichanga wasn't even grilled, it had no crunch at all. But to be honest, it was slathered with melted cheese, etc, which may have taken the crunch right out of it. The service seemed to have a fine dining "feel" to it, but wasn't executed well. And please, for the love of all things holy, DON'T go to the restroom! Not only did it NOT go with the rest of the "fusion inspired" mexican restaurant, the linoleum and stains on the walls and around the sink may have been as old as I am. It needs a thorough going over, to say the least. To paraphrase the great Mr. Miyagi, "Do mexican yes, good. Do mexican no, good. Do mexican so so, get squished like grape." And therein lies the review in a nutshell. So So!
(2)Keri M.
Cactus is a great atmosphere on Friday and Saturday nights. The owner is friendly and welcomes you as a friend. The Mediterranean food and specials are great. (The Mexican menu items are just so-so.) The crab imperial topped filet is a favorite.
(5)Wayne W.
The food is way over priced. I had one of the very few Mexican dishes on the menu, chicken fajitas, and although it cost at least 50% more than all of the others Mexican restaurants in the area, it was just ok. The fajitas at all of the other nearby Mexican restaurants is better. The chicken strips were a little too thick and the tortillas were neither wrapped nor in a covered dish to keep them moist. They were just there on the plate. There were no refried beans either. The flavor of everything was ok. The place is a very odd mix of food and culture. The service was fine.
(2)Jason G.
Food was very good. I'm still trying to figure out if the restaurant is Mediterranean or Mexican. Overall, my review is average.
(3)David L.
I would like to know how the American mono-culture has permeated small town America so thoroughly. How is it that in the very places where you'd expect to find authentic traditionalism, culture, and care for people that a slew of tacky-stuff-on-the-wall restaurants have moved in and driven the local institutions out of business? The places left tend to be dated and struggling. Cactus Taverna is a stark exception to the rule and a very pleasant surprise. Granted, the outside is an unassuming strip mall, but the inside is a well decorated, warm space. Our Salisbury friends who took us described it as Mediterranean, but with Cactus in the name I knew their had to be Tex-Mex. As it turns out, it defies categorization with Mediterranean, Tex-Mex, steak, and seafood offerings. The crab dip is a wonderful representation of Maryland's favorite seafood. They put something similar on their fish and steaks and the result is beautiful. The only thing that could make fillet mignon better is crab and a cream sauce. We also had the pleasure of meeting the delightful owner, who is a real presence in his restaurant, and he offered us a complementary glass of port for dessert.
(5)Rob T.
This place might not look like much in a strip mall, in fact, I did not know it was there until I saw it on Yelp, but the food and service are outstanding, and best of all, it isnt a chain. The service was spectacular, as the waitress easily rattled off the entire specials menu, describing the dishes perfectly. The food is not just the Tex-Mex you would get from the name. Saying that, the guacamole was outstanding and served in it's own tortilla shell. The main courses were good, ample portions, nothing I will remember forever, but decent enough. Prices are a little high for Salisbury, but decent food with great service in a nice atmosphere makes it worthwhile. The beer menu is not overly complex and does not feature any microbrews, but is alright. They also brought complimentary glasses of port over after dinner, which was a nice touch.
(4)MT U.
All the other good reviews are right. This place was awesome. I love my shrimp in garlic. I thought the quest could have ha more flavor but it was ooey gooey delicious.
(4)Evan L.
Do not be fooled by the name: this is not a Mexican restaurant. And this is NOT an insult. Cactus Taverna is a combination of Mexican, Italian, and, I believe, even Middle Eastern. Yes, Middle Eastern. Admittedly, I could not place the music or the flavors more precisely but the music, at least, and the salsa were decidedly of Middle East origin. Again, this is NOT an insult So what is Cactus Taverna? After a single visit, I'm still trying to figure it out. And, admittedly, I kind of like that. The chips were decent; however, the salsa was enticing: an intriguing mix that while absent of heat contains a healthy dose of cumin. Although I ordered Mexican standbys such as black bean soup and enchiladas, both decidedly better than the offerings of Plaza Tapatia yet unremarkable beyond that, the menu and specials offered a "Maza" appetizer (a plate of humus, pita, stuffed grape leaves, and feta), Chicken Florentine, and various steak and seafood dishes more at home in a Middle Eastern, Greak, or steak house style restaurants. Our server was outstanding. Even though my wife and I were in somewhat of a hurry that evening, he handily accommodated us. I suspect that there is more excitement to be had further from the Mexican dishes on the menu. Further visits will shed more light.
(3)Jessa M.
Husband and I tried Cactus Taverna for the first time today. Stopped in around 4:30pm on a Saturday and the place was quiet before the dinner rush. The decor has Spanish flair with a touch of the orient... Adobe colored walls and clay tiles on a facade that gives the impression of dining in an open courtyard, while the walls are hung with Persian rugs and the rather dim room is lit with star shaped light fixtures under a starry blue ceiling. It was a bit too dimly lit for my taste, but (being a belly-dancer) thoroughly enjoyed the Middle Eastern music being piped in. I don't get why people describe Cactus Taverna as simply a "Tex Mex" place. Yes, the decor looks a bit Mexican and they start you out with tortilla chips and a very mild salsa, but I've never seen Lamb Shanks or Crab Imperial topped Rockfish on the menu at any Tex Mex joint. Or Alligator appetizers, for that matter. Husband ordered the Lamb Shank and I got the Rockfish special. Both came with a hearty serving of very well cooked and seasoned vegetables as well as a small dish of rice and black beans. The Lamb Shank was fall-off-the-bone tender and just melted in your mouth. The rockfish was flaky perfect and smothered in a buttery (but not too buttery) cream sauce and lots of lump crab meat. The portion sizes were generous and each of us left with a to-go box containing enough for another meal. Husband had a glass of wine and also received a free glass of port to cap his meal. Our waiter was very friendly and helpful, helping me decide between two entrees and offering wine suggestions to my husband. When my husband particularly enjoyed the port, the waiter let him know where he could find a bottle locally. He also informed us that they've started serving lunch on Sundays, and he gave us a coupon. We'll definitely be going back to Cactus Taverna. I've heard very good things about the Paella and want to try that out. As an aside, I do know that they occasionally have belly dance performers, and while there was no show there this evening, I know the dancer who performs there and she is a very talented dancer.
(4)Adrienne D.
I've never had a bad meal here but I always get the same thing! I can't help myself. The filet topped with crab is superb! The owner has made the rounds and spoken to each table every time we have been there. The service is quick and reliable. You wouldn't think a Mexican restaurant would have the best surf & turf in town but they do!
(5)Rebecca F.
Finally got back to Cactus Taverna recently aiming to try the paella and the alligator. Both were very good! The paella is enough for two people; it's a special dish, served in a pan. The service here is always very good. The owner often comes out to check on his customers. Sometimes he gives out sangria, although that didn't happen at my latest visit. In the past, I've also received some free port wine for "dessert", but not this time. Oh well.. Cactus Taverna is one of the better restaurants in Salisbury. Unfortunately, it's easy to forget about it when it's tucked up in a strip mall in the midst of the fast food chain- and suburbia-land which is northern Salisbury.
(4)Tammy V.
I had the stuffed grouper which was very good. Service was excellent. Unfortunatly veggies were cold and not very flavorful. Otherwise everything else was good
(4)John C.
Cactus Taverna is an excellent all-around restaurant. The food is quite delicious and varies from tex-mex to amazing Mediterranean and Spanish foods. The wait staff has always been superb and provides some of the best service in town. Prices aren't bad for the quality you're getting. Chips and salsa come with every meal. Their specials are usually excellent, and one thing I really like about them is that their not more than the regular entrees. They truly are real specials because they seem to all change every week. Can get crowded on Friday and Saturday. Come during these times and the owner is usually wandering around squirting wine into patrons' mouths from about 3 feet away. It's quite an experience.
(5)Keith Z.
I went to college in Salisbury and always make a trip to my favorite restaurant if I'm in town. The place has a Mexican theme, but you would be missing out if you ordered just a Mexican dish. I would describe it as more of a Mediterranean/Spanish restaurant. There are so many great choices off the specials. The owner is amazing, every time I was in there he made rounds to our table to make sure everything was ok, and on some nights would come around with a wine bag and give free squirts of white wine. There usually is live music playing also. Did I also mention the complimentary port at the end of dinner as well? Nice personal touch. As far as the food goes, my favorite would be the alligator. I've had this at other places and they've been very chewy, but every piece was tender and accompanied with a raspberry-jalapeno sauce for dipping. For the entree I chose the filet medallions with crab imperial. The steak was tender and the crab sauce was delicious!. I also had a bite of blackened tuna with a mango-butter sauce and it was out of this world! I highly recommend trying this place out, and if you just order the traditional Mexican food over the specials, you would be missing out!
(5)Leslie Y.
This is a great place if you like thick sauces that smother the "food" under it. The decor is tacky and if the food is fresh, you wold never know it. Definitely not a place to go if you want a healthy meal or, worse, are on a diet.
(1)Jennifer L.
Four of us stopped in on a Saturday evening. We lucked out and were seated immediately but the dinner rush left a line out the door. We all had the filet with crab imperial and the seafood sauce. All of them were cooked perfectly and we all loved our meals. We will definitely be back!!
(4)Kevin A.
Wow. Who would expect such an interesting menu and high-quality food on a highway on the edge of Salisbury? We enjoyed everything, from coconut shrimp (a thousand times better than at Outback) to a Mediterranean salad to fajitas. Nice service, though it was a quiet night, so it's hard to judge what the place would be like when it's busy.
(5)Nick P.
Based on the ambiance, you'd think it's a middle-Eastern or Mediterranean restaurant, but there is a good variety of cuisine ethnicities. That being said, the food is excellent! The mussels in garlic butter and white wine sauce were great. I also had the corn and crab soup, which was pretty good, except it didn't have that much crab in it. My entree was the blackened ahi tuna with mango butter sauce. Everthing was well-balanced. You could taste each flavor and no one flavor overpowered another. I've had ahi before, but never with a mango butter sauce on it. The service is also fantastic. They are very professional and on top of things and work as a team. The owner, Emir, spent the whole time in the front, and since it's a small restaurant, he went around to every table to introduce himself. He runs a great restaurant, and is obviously passionate about it. Another time I went I was celebrating my college graduation. They have a great wine selection. We had a bottle of Stag's Leap Petit Syrah, one of Napa's premier wines, which lives up to the hype. They also have Alamos Malbec at a good price, I've had this wine elsewhere and it is quite good. The owner and manager stopped by our table to make sure everything was great. They were very accommodating with my elderly grandmother, who can be a handful to wait on sometimes. You certainly won't get a better experience anywhere in town!
(5)Susie J.
I was pleasantly surprised by this place. It's in an unassuming plaza next to starbucks. We really would have missed it if we didn't look it up on our phone. We ordered 3 specials & two appetizers. I forget the names, but it's most of what many already recommended in reviews and by our server. It was all delectable :) I ordered the sunfish with crab imperial in white sauce. You could taste the butter clogging your arteries, but why care? I'm out, so I'll enjoy it, all the while making myself believe it's a healthy dairy by-product :) You can tell it's not really tex mex, which the restaurant's name may reflect. To me it was a mix of coastal Italian cuisine mashed with mexican undertones of rice and beans. Shrugs* It worked. The decor is eclectic- part random thrown up objects mixed with a childish imagination. Cute but not reflective of the food. Will come back again.
(4)Jerry L.
Ok so this is officially my new favorite restaurant.. The food here is amazing and full of flavor... The service is fantastic.. I had the rockfish topped with crab Imperial and the cream of corn crab-soup.. Bonus plus: The owner comes out and greets every customer
(5)Cris D.
The food was amazing and the service was even better! The owner made sure everyone in the restaurant was greeted personally and we were made to feel like celebrities! Best dining experience we've had!
(5)F G.
Food was just 'ok'. My chicken was dry, sauce was good, scallops ok. $19.99??? Not that good. My husband's pork chop was ok. Veggies bland. Chips were not homemade, salsa tasted from a jar. Atmosphere was nice. Local musician. Will not be back.
(2)Erin J.
I wanted to like this place- truly, I did- but it fell short of my expectations. My husband and I went here expecting to be wowed by the food, based on word of mouth and other Yelp reviews. We weren't. As others have commented, the menu is so random. The place bills itself as Mediterranean, but half the dishes are said to have a Peruvian sauce. And then there are Mexican dishes - which suits the cactus name, I suppose. There are a few Mediterranean options as well - but far fewer than you'd expect. They seem to love crab imperial here too - half the specials and many entrees featured it. I was confused as to why we got chips and salsa when we sat down at a Mediterranean restaurant. And why they were playing what sounded like Middle Eastern pop music. But... Whatever. We are go with the flow people. We ordered Queso Fundido - and I'm not going to blaspheme the place and say it was Velveeta.... But my husband looked at me when it arrived and said, "This looks like Velveeta". Upon tasting it, it tasted very processed cheese sauce to me. So it may not be.... But don't expect otherwise. I opted to order one of the appetizer specials for my entree- Stuffed Shrimp, shrimp with crab imperial. I figured since crab imperial was all over the menu, it must be great. The shrimp were fried - which was a surprise to me, but would have been okay but they tasted like generic fried shrimp and had the uniformity indicative of having come right out of a bag pre-breaded and tossed into the fryer. The crab imperial was heavy on the peppers, light on the crab, and the entire dish was lukewarm. My husband chose seafood enchiladas and said that they were good - and that they did have a good amount of seafood in them. Will we go back? Maybe. I love lamb and they do have lamb on the menu- a rarity in Salisbury, and that may be enough to tempt me to try it again. I will say this - I like the interior. Sitting in a booth, it's a more intimate setting than many places in town so it would be a nice date night place (unless you got stuck at one of the out of place metal chaired tables- that is a downer on the ambiance).
(3)Brian M.
This place is awesome. The food is terrific and the service can't be beat. Been here many times with my family and it's pretty much the best dining experience anyone could ever hope for.
(5)Heather B.
Great food and service in a very unassuming location. Located in a strip mall and not much to look at from the outside but inside is wonderful! The food was excellent and we had wonderful service.
(5)Emily B.
I was in town for business and decided on Cactus Tavernas for dinner based on the Yelp reviews. I'm soooo glad that I did because everything was excellent! I had the Sangria and Rockfish topped with crab imperial!!!! The service was friendly and top notch!! Highly recommend!!!!
(5)Kathleen T.
Excellent food, excellent live acoustic music and excellent service by Zachary! My partner got fajitas and I got mariscos saltados. We highly recommend both. We are not from the area, but if we are ever back we will be going here again. The servers are here to make sure you have a good time and they don't disappoint.
(5)Shawna S.
I really enjoy this local spot. It is a little hard to find if you don't know your way around Salisbury, but if you are lucky enough to find it you have to try it! I have been here several different times but have enjoyed it every time. They have so many different items on the menu I guarantee there is something for everyone! If you enjoy seafood, I liked the mahi mahi, stuffed rockfish, and the salmon and scallops in the cream sauce! They are fresh, and look beautiful on the plate! If you are more of a turf person their filets are tender and come with a variety of different things you can add to it! They also have an option to get a wine margarita, which I really enjoyed! The most recent night I went on was a Friday and they had a live musician who was wonderful! It made the experience even better! Can't wait to come back again!
(5)Elliott P.
Our family was traveling and spent the evening in Salsbury. We loved this place. Staff was very friendly. The owner was making the rounds at tables and had a nice conversation but not overly in your face, and the food was good. Lots of specials. I was not disappointed by my strip steak with grilled scallops and grilled shrimp. Vegetables were fresh but overcooked, so I feel perhaps I'll give four stars instead of five because it wasn't perfect. However I would go back in an instant.
(4)Aurea S.
Food was very good. The owner & our server were both very pleasant -& that matters a lot to me. Would definitely return! :)
(4)Colin T.
Great food, service, and hospitality by owner for party we had there. Food was excellent as well.
(4)Brian B.
Excellent food and great service ! Would recommend every time ! The environment is great and the service is very friendly and helpful.
(5)Breann H.
The stuffed chicken is hands down amazing, and if you feel the need for something from the red meat area, definitely try the rack of lamb! Always fresh and tender, and the service, oh my gosh, always fantastic and personable. You always leave with a smile!
(5)Jennifer A.
This is not a Mexican restaurant, and don't be thrown by the location (strip mall)! Cactus Taverna is my favorite place to eat out in Salisbury unless I am craving sushi. Unlike some other reviewers I enjoy the eclectic menu offerings. I don't believe I have ever ordered my entree off the menu though.....it's all about the specials. Besides the food, the service makes CT stand out in this town. The servers are all attentive, knowledgeable, and friendly without feeling oppressive. The owner is gracious and warm and is seemingly always present in the dining room to greet patrons and chat. I like the Maza platter for an app, Mediterranean inspired with pita, hummus, dolmas, etc. The specials are all consistently wonderful and are mostly seafood or steak based, and the portions are hearty. If you are looking for a nice dining experience where you won't feel rushed through a meal and welcomed as a valued patron, you found it!
(4)Corinne Z.
Stopped in here the other night on a road trip. I had the steak special and husband had the stuffed pork on the menu. Both were wonderful right down to the mixed vegetables which were fresh. Owner stopped by the table twice which was a nice touch .....even the servers were very friendly and polite. Cute decor and a definite stop on our trip past next time.
(4)Mark K.
Overall. Ok. Great service. Santeria is spot on. But I came because of what looked like a very interesting menu. Almost everything is fried. The mushrooms with crab imperial were awful. stuffed with pimento cheese... Go with the Alligator it was good but you gotta be ok with a bit of grease. I think the Jordanian owner doesn't know which way to go. Got some Greek dishes. Spanish dishes. Mexican dishes. Local cuisines... Like fried soft shell crab. What is the theme?!? Classic Mexican design inside but middle Eastern music playing Persian rugs on the wall. I'm so confused.
(3)Dan W.
I have been in town several months for work and was lucky enough to find this place. Service 5 out of 5. Food 6 out of 5. Wild selection of items on the menu!!! Will recommend it to everyone. The only REAL food place, that is not franchise junk, that I have found in Salisbury MD. Kudos !!!!!
(5)Lara N.
I have eaten at Cactus Taverna a couple of times and I really want to like it but it falls short of expectations. The food is over priced. I expect the food to have more flavor and better quality for the price I paid. The service is excellent and I liked the ambiance.
(3)Rachel W.
Great food and awesome staff! I would suggest the filet topped with crab imperial or the rack of lamb. Many of the reviews are calling cactus a Mexican restaurant, but it is far from it! Menu has a variety of seafood items (my favorite is the fish of the day topped with crab imperial). My husband likes the option of ordering a few "tapas", small plates, in order to try a variety of items. I highly recommend Cactus Taverna to friends and family.
(5)Jim T.
I wouldn't call it a Mexican restaurant. More like they don't really know what they want to serve. I found the food OK but not particularly inspiring but it wasn't bad either. Waiter very friendly and talkative.
(3)Mike W.
The best place to eat in Salisbury. The staff is always helpful and friendly. The Grouper is the best I have had anywhere. Save room for the flan.
(5)Chris L.
Been here once, and had a great experience. The outside is a little deceiving, but don't let that keep you from giving Cactus a shot. You won't be disappointed. It's way more than just Tex-Mex, in fact the menu pretty much defies categorization. The decor is charming, the wait staff excellent. There was also some live music on the evening I was there, which absolutely delighted my date and I (thanks Cactus!!).
(5)Jed S.
A delicious, reasonably priced Mexican restaurant with some mediteranean food tossed on the menu for good measure. My grilled chicken was extremely delicious and well cooked, although my girlfriend said that the shrimp for her shrimp fajita was a bit overdone. The service was very prompt and friendly. The decor was cheerful.
(4)Andrea M.
Awesome food and service every time. Not sure why one review said the food has gone downhill, I've been eating there for years and it's always consistently excellent. The owner is there almost every night, he walks around and talks with customers. He really makes you feel welcome! Their margaritas are awesome. The beer list is pretty small, no craft brews.
(5)Rajiv D.
This was a pleasant surprise. The owners of this Mexican joint are Jordanians. Which explains the Arabic pop music in the restaurant. The service was excellent. And the food was good.
(4)Steve W.
This place was recommended by a colleague so I gave it a try. The service was good and the Chicken Florentine was excellent. The owner made the rounds during the meal which was a very nice touch. It was a week night so the place was rather quiet so this made for a decent atmosphere for conversation. The name says Mexican but it certainly offered more and I would describe as mixed ethnic dining which only enhanced what was offered on the menu. I definitely will return.
(4)Josh A.
Cactus Taverna is a great upscale Mexican restaurant offering much more than your typical Mexican fare. The decor is decidely South of the Border (and bordering on cheesy with the sombreros on the wall), but it does have it's charm. The center "courtyard" is actually rather pretty. Despite the decorating scheme, there is more to the menu than tacos and margaritas. That's not to say they don't have the usual suspects, too. You can order tacos, enchiladas, and fajitas, but your choices don't end there. The appetizers are great, everything from alligator to escargot. The escargot is delicious, by the way. They also offer a wide variety of fresh seafood and steaks. They have a full bar and the drinks are affordable and quite good. Back to the Mexican selections. I have to say their fajitas are some of the best I've ever had, and definitely the best in Salisbury. While the prices for some of the fancier entrees can be a little high (though well worth it), the Mexican fare is extremely well priced for the size of the portions. It's a great place to go with a group of friends, although, if you're planning to go on Cinco de Mayo, I recommend making reservations. The last time we went, the place was packed to the rafters and as a result, service (which is usually excellent) was a little slow. None of us minded at all since we were a large party and, as I said, the place was packed. At the end of our meal, the waitress brought us a complimentary round of port as an apology, though. It's that kind of place. Oh, and there's often live music, too. Not the greatest talents, perhaps, but it does add to the ambiance.
(4)J W.
Must have gone on a bad night. Food was boring at best. Entertainment sounded like someone had their little sister come on stage. Service ok. Mexican dishes very far from authentic. Haven't gone back.
(1)Vincent V.
Excellent, very friendly service. Provided us with great suggestions for what we were looking for, and with an eclectic menu like theirs, this was necessary. Thoroughly impressed by their skill in melding the Mexican and Mediterranean influences. Where the heavy aspect of Mexican food provides a strong base, the lighter, more appetizer-friendly side of Italian and Greek cuisine lightened up the meal. I had the Pita special with goat cheese (why have I not seen this combination before) and Veggie enchiladas, and my friend had the smoked salmon. Everything was fantastic, and the drinks were top notch. Highly recommended. Definitely deserves a five rating
(5)Jack L.
Roast duck at a Mexican restaurant??? It's not your typical fare. But it was damn good! But hey, any skin that's roasted to crispy goodness is always good.
(4)Mac T.
Highest rating on the Mac-O-Meter and that is saying a lot. The food is excellent and extremely consistent, never had a bad meal. All the fish dishes are great, rack of lamb is my favorite thing on the menu. Food is flavorful, plentiful, pleasing to the eye and tummy. The service is stellar. Prices are very reasonable. This is an excellent choice in an area where the restaurants in general are crap. Cactus is by far the best restaurant anywhere in the area. I have traveled the world extensively and Cactus is so good it rates among the best restaurants anywhere. Live music on Friday and Saturday, great lively atmosphere, overall an awesome experience.
(5)Christine P.
See other reviews to see what you'll get here. I'll just add the service was tremendous and the wine selection solid. I had the shrimp with crab imperial, yum. They even made it with less butter for me, and dressings on the side. My daughter had the crab and corn soup, excellent flavor. My husband had a paella full of seafood. He's Puerto Rican and picky but gave this a thumbs up. Nice ambiance (for a strip mall restaurant even) and great wait staff. We even got courtesy port for dessert, a nice treat.
(4)Mike M.
Quaintly decorated although the lighting is turned down so low that it's almost hard to read the menu. The food is pretty standard Tex Mex with some impressive specials and a comprehensive wine list. The wait staff are extremely attentive and well versed on the menu. There was live entertainment on a particular Friday that we dined there and for lack of a better word, it sucked. If you do not drink alcohol be aware that at the end of your meal you will be offered a mouthful of port wine as a night cap. You might also notice another strange custom while dining here - a server bringing around a soft canteen full of white sangria that, if you want some, will squirt the drink into your mouth from a good two or three feet away. I saw this happening during our second visit and inquired with our server. She says that it's a custom of the South American country that the owners hail from.
(4)John Y.
I had an exceptional meal here after the Seagull Century. I had a softshell crab appetizer and a small plate of shrimp with crab imperial. The shrimp and crab imperial was truly memorable, everything was great - even the salsa and chips. I found the service to be excellent - very friendly and very prompt. I highly recommend Cactus Taverna.
(5)Jeremy N.
Wow live music for dinner? awesome- the food you ask? first of all there chips and salsa as soon as you walk in the door- followed by their soon to be famous Wine margaritas by the pitcher? Absolutely amazing, We had the hummus/goat cheese appetizer, rack of lamb, and roasted duckling, everything was cooked perfect... the owner came to ask how our meal was the first time, and came back the second time with a wine gourd, he has deadly accuracy might I add. All in all highly reccommended place!
(5)Kevin A.
Wow. Who would expect such an interesting menu and high-quality food on a highway on the edge of Salisbury? We enjoyed everything, from coconut shrimp (a thousand times better than at Outback) to a Mediterranean salad to fajitas. Nice service, though it was a quiet night, so it's hard to judge what the place would be like when it's busy.
(5)Rebecca F.
Finally got back to Cactus Taverna recently aiming to try the paella and the alligator. Both were very good! The paella is enough for two people; it's a special dish, served in a pan. The service here is always very good. The owner often comes out to check on his customers. Sometimes he gives out sangria, although that didn't happen at my latest visit. In the past, I've also received some free port wine for "dessert", but not this time. Oh well.. Cactus Taverna is one of the better restaurants in Salisbury. Unfortunately, it's easy to forget about it when it's tucked up in a strip mall in the midst of the fast food chain- and suburbia-land which is northern Salisbury.
(4)Tammy V.
I had the stuffed grouper which was very good. Service was excellent. Unfortunatly veggies were cold and not very flavorful. Otherwise everything else was good
(4)Jessa M.
Husband and I tried Cactus Taverna for the first time today. Stopped in around 4:30pm on a Saturday and the place was quiet before the dinner rush. The decor has Spanish flair with a touch of the orient... Adobe colored walls and clay tiles on a facade that gives the impression of dining in an open courtyard, while the walls are hung with Persian rugs and the rather dim room is lit with star shaped light fixtures under a starry blue ceiling. It was a bit too dimly lit for my taste, but (being a belly-dancer) thoroughly enjoyed the Middle Eastern music being piped in. I don't get why people describe Cactus Taverna as simply a "Tex Mex" place. Yes, the decor looks a bit Mexican and they start you out with tortilla chips and a very mild salsa, but I've never seen Lamb Shanks or Crab Imperial topped Rockfish on the menu at any Tex Mex joint. Or Alligator appetizers, for that matter. Husband ordered the Lamb Shank and I got the Rockfish special. Both came with a hearty serving of very well cooked and seasoned vegetables as well as a small dish of rice and black beans. The Lamb Shank was fall-off-the-bone tender and just melted in your mouth. The rockfish was flaky perfect and smothered in a buttery (but not too buttery) cream sauce and lots of lump crab meat. The portion sizes were generous and each of us left with a to-go box containing enough for another meal. Husband had a glass of wine and also received a free glass of port to cap his meal. Our waiter was very friendly and helpful, helping me decide between two entrees and offering wine suggestions to my husband. When my husband particularly enjoyed the port, the waiter let him know where he could find a bottle locally. He also informed us that they've started serving lunch on Sundays, and he gave us a coupon. We'll definitely be going back to Cactus Taverna. I've heard very good things about the Paella and want to try that out. As an aside, I do know that they occasionally have belly dance performers, and while there was no show there this evening, I know the dancer who performs there and she is a very talented dancer.
(4)Adrienne D.
I've never had a bad meal here but I always get the same thing! I can't help myself. The filet topped with crab is superb! The owner has made the rounds and spoken to each table every time we have been there. The service is quick and reliable. You wouldn't think a Mexican restaurant would have the best surf & turf in town but they do!
(5)Amanda M.
Working in Salisbury for a few days and decided to stop in based on the reviews here. We had sangria, the alligator appetizer, and two specials: chicken Florentine and kebabs. The waiter was knowledgeable and the service was prompt and courteous without being overbearing and the owner came out to check on us. My kebab special came with 1 beef, 1 shrimp, and 1 vegetable (green peppers, tomatoes, and onions) with a side of couscous. Very, very tasty and the couscous was properly prepared. My friend's chicken Florentine was also rated awesome although the side of vegetables she said was slightly overcooked. The alligator appetizer was ordered as an experiment and as I've never eaten alligator, I'm not really set to judge it! As a bonus, we were served port wine with our checks--great ending to a meal!
(4)L N.
I love this place. The food and service are consistently perfect. I love everything on the menu, and the chips and salsa are awesome. The owner is friendly and has come to the table to say hello every time we have eaten there. Probably one of my favorite places to eat ever!
(5)Jen G.
With a name like Cactus Taverna, I had my doubts about this place and assumed that it was a redneck dive bar, driving right by it for three years. I finally decided to give it a shot and was very pleasantly surprised. The waitress that I had was very nice and the owner walks around shooting wine into your mouth which is so funny. The owner looks like he is having a great time and makes everyone else feel the same way. The atmosphere is nice but laid back so it has a really great vibe going throughout the whole restaurant (but maybe that was the wine?). It is a nice sized place and mostly all in one room so it would work great for a large group of people. The Mediterranean style food is pretty good... their salsa in particular. This is one of the better establishments in Salisbury especially because it is locally owned, something that really seems to be lacking in this area.
(4)Shawna S.
I really enjoy this local spot. It is a little hard to find if you don't know your way around Salisbury, but if you are lucky enough to find it you have to try it! I have been here several different times but have enjoyed it every time. They have so many different items on the menu I guarantee there is something for everyone! If you enjoy seafood, I liked the mahi mahi, stuffed rockfish, and the salmon and scallops in the cream sauce! They are fresh, and look beautiful on the plate! If you are more of a turf person their filets are tender and come with a variety of different things you can add to it! They also have an option to get a wine margarita, which I really enjoyed! The most recent night I went on was a Friday and they had a live musician who was wonderful! It made the experience even better! Can't wait to come back again!
(5)Elliott P.
Our family was traveling and spent the evening in Salsbury. We loved this place. Staff was very friendly. The owner was making the rounds at tables and had a nice conversation but not overly in your face, and the food was good. Lots of specials. I was not disappointed by my strip steak with grilled scallops and grilled shrimp. Vegetables were fresh but overcooked, so I feel perhaps I'll give four stars instead of five because it wasn't perfect. However I would go back in an instant.
(4)Aurea S.
Food was very good. The owner & our server were both very pleasant -& that matters a lot to me. Would definitely return! :)
(4)Colin T.
Great food, service, and hospitality by owner for party we had there. Food was excellent as well.
(4)Brian B.
Excellent food and great service ! Would recommend every time ! The environment is great and the service is very friendly and helpful.
(5)Breann H.
The stuffed chicken is hands down amazing, and if you feel the need for something from the red meat area, definitely try the rack of lamb! Always fresh and tender, and the service, oh my gosh, always fantastic and personable. You always leave with a smile!
(5)Rachel W.
Great food and awesome staff! I would suggest the filet topped with crab imperial or the rack of lamb. Many of the reviews are calling cactus a Mexican restaurant, but it is far from it! Menu has a variety of seafood items (my favorite is the fish of the day topped with crab imperial). My husband likes the option of ordering a few "tapas", small plates, in order to try a variety of items. I highly recommend Cactus Taverna to friends and family.
(5)Jim T.
I wouldn't call it a Mexican restaurant. More like they don't really know what they want to serve. I found the food OK but not particularly inspiring but it wasn't bad either. Waiter very friendly and talkative.
(3)Jerry L.
Ok so this is officially my new favorite restaurant.. The food here is amazing and full of flavor... The service is fantastic.. I had the rockfish topped with crab Imperial and the cream of corn crab-soup.. Bonus plus: The owner comes out and greets every customer
(5)Erin J.
I wanted to like this place- truly, I did- but it fell short of my expectations. My husband and I went here expecting to be wowed by the food, based on word of mouth and other Yelp reviews. We weren't. As others have commented, the menu is so random. The place bills itself as Mediterranean, but half the dishes are said to have a Peruvian sauce. And then there are Mexican dishes - which suits the cactus name, I suppose. There are a few Mediterranean options as well - but far fewer than you'd expect. They seem to love crab imperial here too - half the specials and many entrees featured it. I was confused as to why we got chips and salsa when we sat down at a Mediterranean restaurant. And why they were playing what sounded like Middle Eastern pop music. But... Whatever. We are go with the flow people. We ordered Queso Fundido - and I'm not going to blaspheme the place and say it was Velveeta.... But my husband looked at me when it arrived and said, "This looks like Velveeta". Upon tasting it, it tasted very processed cheese sauce to me. So it may not be.... But don't expect otherwise. I opted to order one of the appetizer specials for my entree- Stuffed Shrimp, shrimp with crab imperial. I figured since crab imperial was all over the menu, it must be great. The shrimp were fried - which was a surprise to me, but would have been okay but they tasted like generic fried shrimp and had the uniformity indicative of having come right out of a bag pre-breaded and tossed into the fryer. The crab imperial was heavy on the peppers, light on the crab, and the entire dish was lukewarm. My husband chose seafood enchiladas and said that they were good - and that they did have a good amount of seafood in them. Will we go back? Maybe. I love lamb and they do have lamb on the menu- a rarity in Salisbury, and that may be enough to tempt me to try it again. I will say this - I like the interior. Sitting in a booth, it's a more intimate setting than many places in town so it would be a nice date night place (unless you got stuck at one of the out of place metal chaired tables- that is a downer on the ambiance).
(3)Brian M.
This place is awesome. The food is terrific and the service can't be beat. Been here many times with my family and it's pretty much the best dining experience anyone could ever hope for.
(5)Heather B.
Great food and service in a very unassuming location. Located in a strip mall and not much to look at from the outside but inside is wonderful! The food was excellent and we had wonderful service.
(5)Emily B.
I was in town for business and decided on Cactus Tavernas for dinner based on the Yelp reviews. I'm soooo glad that I did because everything was excellent! I had the Sangria and Rockfish topped with crab imperial!!!! The service was friendly and top notch!! Highly recommend!!!!
(5)Kathleen T.
Excellent food, excellent live acoustic music and excellent service by Zachary! My partner got fajitas and I got mariscos saltados. We highly recommend both. We are not from the area, but if we are ever back we will be going here again. The servers are here to make sure you have a good time and they don't disappoint.
(5)F G.
Food was just 'ok'. My chicken was dry, sauce was good, scallops ok. $19.99??? Not that good. My husband's pork chop was ok. Veggies bland. Chips were not homemade, salsa tasted from a jar. Atmosphere was nice. Local musician. Will not be back.
(2)Corinne Z.
Stopped in here the other night on a road trip. I had the steak special and husband had the stuffed pork on the menu. Both were wonderful right down to the mixed vegetables which were fresh. Owner stopped by the table twice which was a nice touch .....even the servers were very friendly and polite. Cute decor and a definite stop on our trip past next time.
(4)Mark K.
Overall. Ok. Great service. Santeria is spot on. But I came because of what looked like a very interesting menu. Almost everything is fried. The mushrooms with crab imperial were awful. stuffed with pimento cheese... Go with the Alligator it was good but you gotta be ok with a bit of grease. I think the Jordanian owner doesn't know which way to go. Got some Greek dishes. Spanish dishes. Mexican dishes. Local cuisines... Like fried soft shell crab. What is the theme?!? Classic Mexican design inside but middle Eastern music playing Persian rugs on the wall. I'm so confused.
(3)Dan W.
I have been in town several months for work and was lucky enough to find this place. Service 5 out of 5. Food 6 out of 5. Wild selection of items on the menu!!! Will recommend it to everyone. The only REAL food place, that is not franchise junk, that I have found in Salisbury MD. Kudos !!!!!
(5)Lara N.
I have eaten at Cactus Taverna a couple of times and I really want to like it but it falls short of expectations. The food is over priced. I expect the food to have more flavor and better quality for the price I paid. The service is excellent and I liked the ambiance.
(3)Mike W.
The best place to eat in Salisbury. The staff is always helpful and friendly. The Grouper is the best I have had anywhere. Save room for the flan.
(5)Steve W.
Great Locally owned Restaurant. Service and Food are always good!
(5)Chad G.
Upon arrival last night at about 8pm the front door had a sign on the front that said "people on yelp love us". I gave myself a hearty chuckle because we were there specifically because of Yelp, and because I know the girlfriend thinks the whole Yelp thing is a little silly. After being introduced to our waiter and given menu's I had an opportunity to peruse the dining the fine taverna had to offer. After studying the menu and specials section for 4-5 minutes(and taking in the other 6-8 specials the waiter rattled off to us) I put it all down, looked at my girlfriend, and said "W.T.F.?" I'm a simple guy, when I want a steak, I go to a steak place, for seafood, a seafood place, and the same for middle eastern, italian, french, mexican, and so on. We came here thinking it would be the run of the mill mexican restaurant(just better by the review rating). All looks from the inside and outside would indicate this is a run of the mill mexican restaurant except of course there was a woman with a guitar playing live music till 9.(top 40 covers) But I swear, the entire WORLD was stuffed into this run of the mill mexican restaurant in a run of the mill stripmall in Salisbury, Md, then EXPLODED onto their menu! Off the top of my head, on their menu and specials, and i'm SO seriously NOT kidding, they had, steak(filet with crab imperial topping), french ((escargot and frog legs(seriously?)), middle eastern (kabobs), seafood (cooked and topped any number of ways). And this is just off the top of my head the next day! Oh, and crap, would you believe they had mexican food? In utter disbelief, I asked our waiter why a mexican restaurant would be serving escargot, frog legs, and kabobs, with traditional mexican fare. He said it was "fusion" inspired. Ah, that fusion word. That trendy hipster nonsense I have grown to really despise. I remember ten years ago when chipotle was a fancy word for spicy. Then suddenly EVERYONE and their baby mamas' aunts' little sister thought they were highfalutin using such big fancy words. Give me a break! Fusion essentially means, well, they want to give you one thing but make it a bit different. In the case of Cactus Taverna, they want to give you everything, even if none of it goes together. This menu was a lot less about fusion and a lot more about fission! We ordered our mexican and it was average. Just average. Exactly what I was hoping against based on the ratings here, but exactly what I expected when I saw the menu. I'm pretty sure my chimichanga wasn't even grilled, it had no crunch at all. But to be honest, it was slathered with melted cheese, etc, which may have taken the crunch right out of it. The service seemed to have a fine dining "feel" to it, but wasn't executed well. And please, for the love of all things holy, DON'T go to the restroom! Not only did it NOT go with the rest of the "fusion inspired" mexican restaurant, the linoleum and stains on the walls and around the sink may have been as old as I am. It needs a thorough going over, to say the least. To paraphrase the great Mr. Miyagi, "Do mexican yes, good. Do mexican no, good. Do mexican so so, get squished like grape." And therein lies the review in a nutshell. So So!
(2)Keri M.
Cactus is a great atmosphere on Friday and Saturday nights. The owner is friendly and welcomes you as a friend. The Mediterranean food and specials are great. (The Mexican menu items are just so-so.) The crab imperial topped filet is a favorite.
(5)Jennifer A.
This is not a Mexican restaurant, and don't be thrown by the location (strip mall)! Cactus Taverna is my favorite place to eat out in Salisbury unless I am craving sushi. Unlike some other reviewers I enjoy the eclectic menu offerings. I don't believe I have ever ordered my entree off the menu though.....it's all about the specials. Besides the food, the service makes CT stand out in this town. The servers are all attentive, knowledgeable, and friendly without feeling oppressive. The owner is gracious and warm and is seemingly always present in the dining room to greet patrons and chat. I like the Maza platter for an app, Mediterranean inspired with pita, hummus, dolmas, etc. The specials are all consistently wonderful and are mostly seafood or steak based, and the portions are hearty. If you are looking for a nice dining experience where you won't feel rushed through a meal and welcomed as a valued patron, you found it!
(4)Cris D.
The food was amazing and the service was even better! The owner made sure everyone in the restaurant was greeted personally and we were made to feel like celebrities! Best dining experience we've had!
(5)Andres D.
Nice little place in Salisbury. I would say that service was on point, I never felt under served, but I ventured off the reservation and instead of going with steak or seafood got the pork chop. Maybe this was my mistake, it was a good try, but over done so it turned tough and dry....pretty hard to do when you stuff something with cheese and prosciutto. As the chop was bone in, it was okay by the bone, but then you miss on the filling. The house salad is unique, a parsley Caesar dressing gives the romaine an interesting taste. I will say they did the hummus well, tasty and just the right amount for an app. I ended with a slice of the Smith Island Cake, apparently the Maryland state cake. Layers of yellow cake and chocolate frosting make this quite a treat. As they were featuring fresh strawberries as a dessert option, I asked them to throw some on with the cake and it was a perfect combination! The owner, Amad, stopped by and we talked about the meal and he took my feedback and wasn't defensive, but took it as a positive experience. For this alone he deserves this rating. It's not the place for my last meal, but I would certainly return in the future. For those with the low ratings, maybe it was an off night or something but everyone employed here brought refills and pitched in to their coworkers to make this a positive dinner experience.
(4)Allison V.
I really enjoy this place! The specials are great, especially the Sun Fish, Surf and Turf and the Mezze platter is a nice way to start the evening....AND the corn and crab soup is WONDERFUL!!! It's nice when a restaurant gives you some chips and salsa to snack on while waiting too! Some nights, if you're lucky you'll get some great entertainment too! Desserts have gotten better over the years.....as well as a FULL bar now! The Sangria is nice and refreshing as well! OH, and if you're lucky you'll get your Port at the end of dinner!
(4)MT U.
All the other good reviews are right. This place was awesome. I love my shrimp in garlic. I thought the quest could have ha more flavor but it was ooey gooey delicious.
(4)John C.
Cactus Taverna is an excellent all-around restaurant. The food is quite delicious and varies from tex-mex to amazing Mediterranean and Spanish foods. The wait staff has always been superb and provides some of the best service in town. Prices aren't bad for the quality you're getting. Chips and salsa come with every meal. Their specials are usually excellent, and one thing I really like about them is that their not more than the regular entrees. They truly are real specials because they seem to all change every week. Can get crowded on Friday and Saturday. Come during these times and the owner is usually wandering around squirting wine into patrons' mouths from about 3 feet away. It's quite an experience.
(5)Keith Z.
I went to college in Salisbury and always make a trip to my favorite restaurant if I'm in town. The place has a Mexican theme, but you would be missing out if you ordered just a Mexican dish. I would describe it as more of a Mediterranean/Spanish restaurant. There are so many great choices off the specials. The owner is amazing, every time I was in there he made rounds to our table to make sure everything was ok, and on some nights would come around with a wine bag and give free squirts of white wine. There usually is live music playing also. Did I also mention the complimentary port at the end of dinner as well? Nice personal touch. As far as the food goes, my favorite would be the alligator. I've had this at other places and they've been very chewy, but every piece was tender and accompanied with a raspberry-jalapeno sauce for dipping. For the entree I chose the filet medallions with crab imperial. The steak was tender and the crab sauce was delicious!. I also had a bite of blackened tuna with a mango-butter sauce and it was out of this world! I highly recommend trying this place out, and if you just order the traditional Mexican food over the specials, you would be missing out!
(5)Wayne W.
The food is way over priced. I had one of the very few Mexican dishes on the menu, chicken fajitas, and although it cost at least 50% more than all of the others Mexican restaurants in the area, it was just ok. The fajitas at all of the other nearby Mexican restaurants is better. The chicken strips were a little too thick and the tortillas were neither wrapped nor in a covered dish to keep them moist. They were just there on the plate. There were no refried beans either. The flavor of everything was ok. The place is a very odd mix of food and culture. The service was fine.
(2)Jason G.
Food was very good. I'm still trying to figure out if the restaurant is Mediterranean or Mexican. Overall, my review is average.
(3)Steve I.
The owner is a marketing genius. Knowing that Greek restaurants (his obvious passion) struggle to attract a crowd, he sucks us in with a Mexican tease and then slams our taste buds with some of the best fish specials we've ever had - blending a perfectly prepared Hawaiin blackened sunfish with a mango salsa and couscous - and it works! The fish specials were around $17 but well worth the price. The margaritas ain't bad either.
(4)David L.
I would like to know how the American mono-culture has permeated small town America so thoroughly. How is it that in the very places where you'd expect to find authentic traditionalism, culture, and care for people that a slew of tacky-stuff-on-the-wall restaurants have moved in and driven the local institutions out of business? The places left tend to be dated and struggling. Cactus Taverna is a stark exception to the rule and a very pleasant surprise. Granted, the outside is an unassuming strip mall, but the inside is a well decorated, warm space. Our Salisbury friends who took us described it as Mediterranean, but with Cactus in the name I knew their had to be Tex-Mex. As it turns out, it defies categorization with Mediterranean, Tex-Mex, steak, and seafood offerings. The crab dip is a wonderful representation of Maryland's favorite seafood. They put something similar on their fish and steaks and the result is beautiful. The only thing that could make fillet mignon better is crab and a cream sauce. We also had the pleasure of meeting the delightful owner, who is a real presence in his restaurant, and he offered us a complementary glass of port for dessert.
(5)Rob T.
This place might not look like much in a strip mall, in fact, I did not know it was there until I saw it on Yelp, but the food and service are outstanding, and best of all, it isnt a chain. The service was spectacular, as the waitress easily rattled off the entire specials menu, describing the dishes perfectly. The food is not just the Tex-Mex you would get from the name. Saying that, the guacamole was outstanding and served in it's own tortilla shell. The main courses were good, ample portions, nothing I will remember forever, but decent enough. Prices are a little high for Salisbury, but decent food with great service in a nice atmosphere makes it worthwhile. The beer menu is not overly complex and does not feature any microbrews, but is alright. They also brought complimentary glasses of port over after dinner, which was a nice touch.
(4)Nick P.
Based on the ambiance, you'd think it's a middle-Eastern or Mediterranean restaurant, but there is a good variety of cuisine ethnicities. That being said, the food is excellent! The mussels in garlic butter and white wine sauce were great. I also had the corn and crab soup, which was pretty good, except it didn't have that much crab in it. My entree was the blackened ahi tuna with mango butter sauce. Everthing was well-balanced. You could taste each flavor and no one flavor overpowered another. I've had ahi before, but never with a mango butter sauce on it. The service is also fantastic. They are very professional and on top of things and work as a team. The owner, Emir, spent the whole time in the front, and since it's a small restaurant, he went around to every table to introduce himself. He runs a great restaurant, and is obviously passionate about it. Another time I went I was celebrating my college graduation. They have a great wine selection. We had a bottle of Stag's Leap Petit Syrah, one of Napa's premier wines, which lives up to the hype. They also have Alamos Malbec at a good price, I've had this wine elsewhere and it is quite good. The owner and manager stopped by our table to make sure everything was great. They were very accommodating with my elderly grandmother, who can be a handful to wait on sometimes. You certainly won't get a better experience anywhere in town!
(5)Susie J.
I was pleasantly surprised by this place. It's in an unassuming plaza next to starbucks. We really would have missed it if we didn't look it up on our phone. We ordered 3 specials & two appetizers. I forget the names, but it's most of what many already recommended in reviews and by our server. It was all delectable :) I ordered the sunfish with crab imperial in white sauce. You could taste the butter clogging your arteries, but why care? I'm out, so I'll enjoy it, all the while making myself believe it's a healthy dairy by-product :) You can tell it's not really tex mex, which the restaurant's name may reflect. To me it was a mix of coastal Italian cuisine mashed with mexican undertones of rice and beans. Shrugs* It worked. The decor is eclectic- part random thrown up objects mixed with a childish imagination. Cute but not reflective of the food. Will come back again.
(4)Evan L.
Do not be fooled by the name: this is not a Mexican restaurant. And this is NOT an insult. Cactus Taverna is a combination of Mexican, Italian, and, I believe, even Middle Eastern. Yes, Middle Eastern. Admittedly, I could not place the music or the flavors more precisely but the music, at least, and the salsa were decidedly of Middle East origin. Again, this is NOT an insult So what is Cactus Taverna? After a single visit, I'm still trying to figure it out. And, admittedly, I kind of like that. The chips were decent; however, the salsa was enticing: an intriguing mix that while absent of heat contains a healthy dose of cumin. Although I ordered Mexican standbys such as black bean soup and enchiladas, both decidedly better than the offerings of Plaza Tapatia yet unremarkable beyond that, the menu and specials offered a "Maza" appetizer (a plate of humus, pita, stuffed grape leaves, and feta), Chicken Florentine, and various steak and seafood dishes more at home in a Middle Eastern, Greak, or steak house style restaurants. Our server was outstanding. Even though my wife and I were in somewhat of a hurry that evening, he handily accommodated us. I suspect that there is more excitement to be had further from the Mexican dishes on the menu. Further visits will shed more light.
(3)Tina G.
love the atmosphere, food, service, prices. Seafood enchiladas is DELISH. Absolutely love their chips and salsa.
(4)Michael S.
This place has gone downhill. The food is nothing like it was two years ago. Food tasted premade. Fish in the paella seem frozen and not fresh.
(2)John S.
One of the dining highlights in Salisbury-- you've got your pick of three or four comparable Mexican places, but at how many of them will the owner come to your table and squirt red wine in your mouth? This is what I'm saying. The food is almost always excellent. They sometimes play live music, which isn't always a good thing.
(4)Bill N.
We came in around 9pm although we weren't that hungry. We shared some appetizers and a chimichanga entree. Food was good. Mostly Mexican but they are also trying to be Mediterranean. Interesting mix. We had escargot and a mexican corn chowder... Meg was hoping for soft crabs like she saw on Yelp but there wasn't anything like that on the menu the night we were there.
(4)Leslie Y.
This is a great place if you like thick sauces that smother the "food" under it. The decor is tacky and if the food is fresh, you wold never know it. Definitely not a place to go if you want a healthy meal or, worse, are on a diet.
(1)Jennifer L.
Four of us stopped in on a Saturday evening. We lucked out and were seated immediately but the dinner rush left a line out the door. We all had the filet with crab imperial and the seafood sauce. All of them were cooked perfectly and we all loved our meals. We will definitely be back!!
(4)Jim C.
I don't have too much to say, except I wish I had read and believed Chad's review before choosing to eat here. I got a bad feeling looking at the menu and it got worse when the (free) chips and salsa came out...the chips tasted like 5 year old cardboard. Surf and turf was plated nicely but not very good. Overpriced, too. One beer and entree was $33 and just not worth it at all. Maybe I caught them on a bad night, table of 8 next to me had their entrees hit the table before their appetizers, not a sign of things going well...
(2)C. P.
This place. Is. Amazing. When visiting family, I always make it a point to go here! Every experience here has been top-notch. The owner is super attentive and is always walking around making sure everyone is satisfied with their meal and enjoying themselves. The food is always of the utmost quality and the atmosphere is so much fun. I just wish they'd bring back the mango raspberry cheesecake!! That was the best part of going there until they took it off the menu!!
(5)Tan N.
Cactus Taverna was recommended to me by a co-worker years ago, and I've been there 3 or 4 times in the last few years. It's a great atmosphere, with great food to match. The staff is nice and attentive, and the owner, Ahmed, usually makes his rounds and makes it a point to greet his customers and see how things are going. I liked Cactus Taverna so much, that a few years ago, we had our company Christmas dinner there. They have a general seating area, and a large room for big parties. The restaurant is in a small strip mall, next to a mattress store and a vaccuum cleaner store, but it's easy to miss while driving down RT 13. During Valentines' Day, Christmas, New Years, and other special days, they're a "reservations only" kind of place. I've seen a line 30 people long waiting to get a seat at Cactus Taverna on a Friday or Saturday night in the summer. Prices are average to high, with dinner entrees ranging from $12 - $22. I have had their seafood paella (amazing), their crab imperial and rockfish (very good), and something else that was equally good... but I can't remember what it was. Very good stuff.
(4)Heather T.
I absolutely adore this restaurant! I wouldn't call it tex mex, it seems more Mediterranean to me. The atmosphere, food, drinks (try the sangria), and staff are so welcoming. The owner almost always stops at every table after your meal, checking on the service and delivering a shot of liquor on the house.
(5)Jerry L.
Ok so this is officially my new favorite restaurant.. The food here is amazing and full of flavor... The service is fantastic.. I had the rockfish topped with crab Imperial and the cream of corn crab-soup.. Bonus plus: The owner comes out and greets every customer
(5)Cris D.
The food was amazing and the service was even better! The owner made sure everyone in the restaurant was greeted personally and we were made to feel like celebrities! Best dining experience we've had!
(5)Andrea M.
Awesome food and service every time. Not sure why one review said the food has gone downhill, I've been eating there for years and it's always consistently excellent. The owner is there almost every night, he walks around and talks with customers. He really makes you feel welcome! Their margaritas are awesome. The beer list is pretty small, no craft brews.
(5)Rajiv D.
This was a pleasant surprise. The owners of this Mexican joint are Jordanians. Which explains the Arabic pop music in the restaurant. The service was excellent. And the food was good.
(4)Steve W.
This place was recommended by a colleague so I gave it a try. The service was good and the Chicken Florentine was excellent. The owner made the rounds during the meal which was a very nice touch. It was a week night so the place was rather quiet so this made for a decent atmosphere for conversation. The name says Mexican but it certainly offered more and I would describe as mixed ethnic dining which only enhanced what was offered on the menu. I definitely will return.
(4)Josh A.
Cactus Taverna is a great upscale Mexican restaurant offering much more than your typical Mexican fare. The decor is decidely South of the Border (and bordering on cheesy with the sombreros on the wall), but it does have it's charm. The center "courtyard" is actually rather pretty. Despite the decorating scheme, there is more to the menu than tacos and margaritas. That's not to say they don't have the usual suspects, too. You can order tacos, enchiladas, and fajitas, but your choices don't end there. The appetizers are great, everything from alligator to escargot. The escargot is delicious, by the way. They also offer a wide variety of fresh seafood and steaks. They have a full bar and the drinks are affordable and quite good. Back to the Mexican selections. I have to say their fajitas are some of the best I've ever had, and definitely the best in Salisbury. While the prices for some of the fancier entrees can be a little high (though well worth it), the Mexican fare is extremely well priced for the size of the portions. It's a great place to go with a group of friends, although, if you're planning to go on Cinco de Mayo, I recommend making reservations. The last time we went, the place was packed to the rafters and as a result, service (which is usually excellent) was a little slow. None of us minded at all since we were a large party and, as I said, the place was packed. At the end of our meal, the waitress brought us a complimentary round of port as an apology, though. It's that kind of place. Oh, and there's often live music, too. Not the greatest talents, perhaps, but it does add to the ambiance.
(4)J W.
Must have gone on a bad night. Food was boring at best. Entertainment sounded like someone had their little sister come on stage. Service ok. Mexican dishes very far from authentic. Haven't gone back.
(1)F G.
Food was just 'ok'. My chicken was dry, sauce was good, scallops ok. $19.99??? Not that good. My husband's pork chop was ok. Veggies bland. Chips were not homemade, salsa tasted from a jar. Atmosphere was nice. Local musician. Will not be back.
(2)Corinne Z.
Stopped in here the other night on a road trip. I had the steak special and husband had the stuffed pork on the menu. Both were wonderful right down to the mixed vegetables which were fresh. Owner stopped by the table twice which was a nice touch .....even the servers were very friendly and polite. Cute decor and a definite stop on our trip past next time.
(4)Erin J.
I wanted to like this place- truly, I did- but it fell short of my expectations. My husband and I went here expecting to be wowed by the food, based on word of mouth and other Yelp reviews. We weren't. As others have commented, the menu is so random. The place bills itself as Mediterranean, but half the dishes are said to have a Peruvian sauce. And then there are Mexican dishes - which suits the cactus name, I suppose. There are a few Mediterranean options as well - but far fewer than you'd expect. They seem to love crab imperial here too - half the specials and many entrees featured it. I was confused as to why we got chips and salsa when we sat down at a Mediterranean restaurant. And why they were playing what sounded like Middle Eastern pop music. But... Whatever. We are go with the flow people. We ordered Queso Fundido - and I'm not going to blaspheme the place and say it was Velveeta.... But my husband looked at me when it arrived and said, "This looks like Velveeta". Upon tasting it, it tasted very processed cheese sauce to me. So it may not be.... But don't expect otherwise. I opted to order one of the appetizer specials for my entree- Stuffed Shrimp, shrimp with crab imperial. I figured since crab imperial was all over the menu, it must be great. The shrimp were fried - which was a surprise to me, but would have been okay but they tasted like generic fried shrimp and had the uniformity indicative of having come right out of a bag pre-breaded and tossed into the fryer. The crab imperial was heavy on the peppers, light on the crab, and the entire dish was lukewarm. My husband chose seafood enchiladas and said that they were good - and that they did have a good amount of seafood in them. Will we go back? Maybe. I love lamb and they do have lamb on the menu- a rarity in Salisbury, and that may be enough to tempt me to try it again. I will say this - I like the interior. Sitting in a booth, it's a more intimate setting than many places in town so it would be a nice date night place (unless you got stuck at one of the out of place metal chaired tables- that is a downer on the ambiance).
(3)Brian M.
This place is awesome. The food is terrific and the service can't be beat. Been here many times with my family and it's pretty much the best dining experience anyone could ever hope for.
(5)Heather B.
Great food and service in a very unassuming location. Located in a strip mall and not much to look at from the outside but inside is wonderful! The food was excellent and we had wonderful service.
(5)Emily B.
I was in town for business and decided on Cactus Tavernas for dinner based on the Yelp reviews. I'm soooo glad that I did because everything was excellent! I had the Sangria and Rockfish topped with crab imperial!!!! The service was friendly and top notch!! Highly recommend!!!!
(5)Kathleen T.
Excellent food, excellent live acoustic music and excellent service by Zachary! My partner got fajitas and I got mariscos saltados. We highly recommend both. We are not from the area, but if we are ever back we will be going here again. The servers are here to make sure you have a good time and they don't disappoint.
(5)Shawna S.
I really enjoy this local spot. It is a little hard to find if you don't know your way around Salisbury, but if you are lucky enough to find it you have to try it! I have been here several different times but have enjoyed it every time. They have so many different items on the menu I guarantee there is something for everyone! If you enjoy seafood, I liked the mahi mahi, stuffed rockfish, and the salmon and scallops in the cream sauce! They are fresh, and look beautiful on the plate! If you are more of a turf person their filets are tender and come with a variety of different things you can add to it! They also have an option to get a wine margarita, which I really enjoyed! The most recent night I went on was a Friday and they had a live musician who was wonderful! It made the experience even better! Can't wait to come back again!
(5)Elliott P.
Our family was traveling and spent the evening in Salsbury. We loved this place. Staff was very friendly. The owner was making the rounds at tables and had a nice conversation but not overly in your face, and the food was good. Lots of specials. I was not disappointed by my strip steak with grilled scallops and grilled shrimp. Vegetables were fresh but overcooked, so I feel perhaps I'll give four stars instead of five because it wasn't perfect. However I would go back in an instant.
(4)Aurea S.
Food was very good. The owner & our server were both very pleasant -& that matters a lot to me. Would definitely return! :)
(4)Colin T.
Great food, service, and hospitality by owner for party we had there. Food was excellent as well.
(4)Brian B.
Excellent food and great service ! Would recommend every time ! The environment is great and the service is very friendly and helpful.
(5)Breann H.
The stuffed chicken is hands down amazing, and if you feel the need for something from the red meat area, definitely try the rack of lamb! Always fresh and tender, and the service, oh my gosh, always fantastic and personable. You always leave with a smile!
(5)Jennifer A.
This is not a Mexican restaurant, and don't be thrown by the location (strip mall)! Cactus Taverna is my favorite place to eat out in Salisbury unless I am craving sushi. Unlike some other reviewers I enjoy the eclectic menu offerings. I don't believe I have ever ordered my entree off the menu though.....it's all about the specials. Besides the food, the service makes CT stand out in this town. The servers are all attentive, knowledgeable, and friendly without feeling oppressive. The owner is gracious and warm and is seemingly always present in the dining room to greet patrons and chat. I like the Maza platter for an app, Mediterranean inspired with pita, hummus, dolmas, etc. The specials are all consistently wonderful and are mostly seafood or steak based, and the portions are hearty. If you are looking for a nice dining experience where you won't feel rushed through a meal and welcomed as a valued patron, you found it!
(4)Mark K.
Overall. Ok. Great service. Santeria is spot on. But I came because of what looked like a very interesting menu. Almost everything is fried. The mushrooms with crab imperial were awful. stuffed with pimento cheese... Go with the Alligator it was good but you gotta be ok with a bit of grease. I think the Jordanian owner doesn't know which way to go. Got some Greek dishes. Spanish dishes. Mexican dishes. Local cuisines... Like fried soft shell crab. What is the theme?!? Classic Mexican design inside but middle Eastern music playing Persian rugs on the wall. I'm so confused.
(3)Dan W.
I have been in town several months for work and was lucky enough to find this place. Service 5 out of 5. Food 6 out of 5. Wild selection of items on the menu!!! Will recommend it to everyone. The only REAL food place, that is not franchise junk, that I have found in Salisbury MD. Kudos !!!!!
(5)Lara N.
I have eaten at Cactus Taverna a couple of times and I really want to like it but it falls short of expectations. The food is over priced. I expect the food to have more flavor and better quality for the price I paid. The service is excellent and I liked the ambiance.
(3)Rachel W.
Great food and awesome staff! I would suggest the filet topped with crab imperial or the rack of lamb. Many of the reviews are calling cactus a Mexican restaurant, but it is far from it! Menu has a variety of seafood items (my favorite is the fish of the day topped with crab imperial). My husband likes the option of ordering a few "tapas", small plates, in order to try a variety of items. I highly recommend Cactus Taverna to friends and family.
(5)Jim T.
I wouldn't call it a Mexican restaurant. More like they don't really know what they want to serve. I found the food OK but not particularly inspiring but it wasn't bad either. Waiter very friendly and talkative.
(3)Mike W.
The best place to eat in Salisbury. The staff is always helpful and friendly. The Grouper is the best I have had anywhere. Save room for the flan.
(5)Steve W.
Great Locally owned Restaurant. Service and Food are always good!
(5)John Y.
I had an exceptional meal here after the Seagull Century. I had a softshell crab appetizer and a small plate of shrimp with crab imperial. The shrimp and crab imperial was truly memorable, everything was great - even the salsa and chips. I found the service to be excellent - very friendly and very prompt. I highly recommend Cactus Taverna.
(5)Jeremy N.
Wow live music for dinner? awesome- the food you ask? first of all there chips and salsa as soon as you walk in the door- followed by their soon to be famous Wine margaritas by the pitcher? Absolutely amazing, We had the hummus/goat cheese appetizer, rack of lamb, and roasted duckling, everything was cooked perfect... the owner came to ask how our meal was the first time, and came back the second time with a wine gourd, he has deadly accuracy might I add. All in all highly reccommended place!
(5)Andres D.
Nice little place in Salisbury. I would say that service was on point, I never felt under served, but I ventured off the reservation and instead of going with steak or seafood got the pork chop. Maybe this was my mistake, it was a good try, but over done so it turned tough and dry....pretty hard to do when you stuff something with cheese and prosciutto. As the chop was bone in, it was okay by the bone, but then you miss on the filling. The house salad is unique, a parsley Caesar dressing gives the romaine an interesting taste. I will say they did the hummus well, tasty and just the right amount for an app. I ended with a slice of the Smith Island Cake, apparently the Maryland state cake. Layers of yellow cake and chocolate frosting make this quite a treat. As they were featuring fresh strawberries as a dessert option, I asked them to throw some on with the cake and it was a perfect combination! The owner, Amad, stopped by and we talked about the meal and he took my feedback and wasn't defensive, but took it as a positive experience. For this alone he deserves this rating. It's not the place for my last meal, but I would certainly return in the future. For those with the low ratings, maybe it was an off night or something but everyone employed here brought refills and pitched in to their coworkers to make this a positive dinner experience.
(4)John C.
Cactus Taverna is an excellent all-around restaurant. The food is quite delicious and varies from tex-mex to amazing Mediterranean and Spanish foods. The wait staff has always been superb and provides some of the best service in town. Prices aren't bad for the quality you're getting. Chips and salsa come with every meal. Their specials are usually excellent, and one thing I really like about them is that their not more than the regular entrees. They truly are real specials because they seem to all change every week. Can get crowded on Friday and Saturday. Come during these times and the owner is usually wandering around squirting wine into patrons' mouths from about 3 feet away. It's quite an experience.
(5)Keith Z.
I went to college in Salisbury and always make a trip to my favorite restaurant if I'm in town. The place has a Mexican theme, but you would be missing out if you ordered just a Mexican dish. I would describe it as more of a Mediterranean/Spanish restaurant. There are so many great choices off the specials. The owner is amazing, every time I was in there he made rounds to our table to make sure everything was ok, and on some nights would come around with a wine bag and give free squirts of white wine. There usually is live music playing also. Did I also mention the complimentary port at the end of dinner as well? Nice personal touch. As far as the food goes, my favorite would be the alligator. I've had this at other places and they've been very chewy, but every piece was tender and accompanied with a raspberry-jalapeno sauce for dipping. For the entree I chose the filet medallions with crab imperial. The steak was tender and the crab sauce was delicious!. I also had a bite of blackened tuna with a mango-butter sauce and it was out of this world! I highly recommend trying this place out, and if you just order the traditional Mexican food over the specials, you would be missing out!
(5)Wayne W.
The food is way over priced. I had one of the very few Mexican dishes on the menu, chicken fajitas, and although it cost at least 50% more than all of the others Mexican restaurants in the area, it was just ok. The fajitas at all of the other nearby Mexican restaurants is better. The chicken strips were a little too thick and the tortillas were neither wrapped nor in a covered dish to keep them moist. They were just there on the plate. There were no refried beans either. The flavor of everything was ok. The place is a very odd mix of food and culture. The service was fine.
(2)Jason G.
Food was very good. I'm still trying to figure out if the restaurant is Mediterranean or Mexican. Overall, my review is average.
(3)David L.
I would like to know how the American mono-culture has permeated small town America so thoroughly. How is it that in the very places where you'd expect to find authentic traditionalism, culture, and care for people that a slew of tacky-stuff-on-the-wall restaurants have moved in and driven the local institutions out of business? The places left tend to be dated and struggling. Cactus Taverna is a stark exception to the rule and a very pleasant surprise. Granted, the outside is an unassuming strip mall, but the inside is a well decorated, warm space. Our Salisbury friends who took us described it as Mediterranean, but with Cactus in the name I knew their had to be Tex-Mex. As it turns out, it defies categorization with Mediterranean, Tex-Mex, steak, and seafood offerings. The crab dip is a wonderful representation of Maryland's favorite seafood. They put something similar on their fish and steaks and the result is beautiful. The only thing that could make fillet mignon better is crab and a cream sauce. We also had the pleasure of meeting the delightful owner, who is a real presence in his restaurant, and he offered us a complementary glass of port for dessert.
(5)Chad G.
Upon arrival last night at about 8pm the front door had a sign on the front that said "people on yelp love us". I gave myself a hearty chuckle because we were there specifically because of Yelp, and because I know the girlfriend thinks the whole Yelp thing is a little silly. After being introduced to our waiter and given menu's I had an opportunity to peruse the dining the fine taverna had to offer. After studying the menu and specials section for 4-5 minutes(and taking in the other 6-8 specials the waiter rattled off to us) I put it all down, looked at my girlfriend, and said "W.T.F.?" I'm a simple guy, when I want a steak, I go to a steak place, for seafood, a seafood place, and the same for middle eastern, italian, french, mexican, and so on. We came here thinking it would be the run of the mill mexican restaurant(just better by the review rating). All looks from the inside and outside would indicate this is a run of the mill mexican restaurant except of course there was a woman with a guitar playing live music till 9.(top 40 covers) But I swear, the entire WORLD was stuffed into this run of the mill mexican restaurant in a run of the mill stripmall in Salisbury, Md, then EXPLODED onto their menu! Off the top of my head, on their menu and specials, and i'm SO seriously NOT kidding, they had, steak(filet with crab imperial topping), french ((escargot and frog legs(seriously?)), middle eastern (kabobs), seafood (cooked and topped any number of ways). And this is just off the top of my head the next day! Oh, and crap, would you believe they had mexican food? In utter disbelief, I asked our waiter why a mexican restaurant would be serving escargot, frog legs, and kabobs, with traditional mexican fare. He said it was "fusion" inspired. Ah, that fusion word. That trendy hipster nonsense I have grown to really despise. I remember ten years ago when chipotle was a fancy word for spicy. Then suddenly EVERYONE and their baby mamas' aunts' little sister thought they were highfalutin using such big fancy words. Give me a break! Fusion essentially means, well, they want to give you one thing but make it a bit different. In the case of Cactus Taverna, they want to give you everything, even if none of it goes together. This menu was a lot less about fusion and a lot more about fission! We ordered our mexican and it was average. Just average. Exactly what I was hoping against based on the ratings here, but exactly what I expected when I saw the menu. I'm pretty sure my chimichanga wasn't even grilled, it had no crunch at all. But to be honest, it was slathered with melted cheese, etc, which may have taken the crunch right out of it. The service seemed to have a fine dining "feel" to it, but wasn't executed well. And please, for the love of all things holy, DON'T go to the restroom! Not only did it NOT go with the rest of the "fusion inspired" mexican restaurant, the linoleum and stains on the walls and around the sink may have been as old as I am. It needs a thorough going over, to say the least. To paraphrase the great Mr. Miyagi, "Do mexican yes, good. Do mexican no, good. Do mexican so so, get squished like grape." And therein lies the review in a nutshell. So So!
(2)Keri M.
Cactus is a great atmosphere on Friday and Saturday nights. The owner is friendly and welcomes you as a friend. The Mediterranean food and specials are great. (The Mexican menu items are just so-so.) The crab imperial topped filet is a favorite.
(5)Rob T.
This place might not look like much in a strip mall, in fact, I did not know it was there until I saw it on Yelp, but the food and service are outstanding, and best of all, it isnt a chain. The service was spectacular, as the waitress easily rattled off the entire specials menu, describing the dishes perfectly. The food is not just the Tex-Mex you would get from the name. Saying that, the guacamole was outstanding and served in it's own tortilla shell. The main courses were good, ample portions, nothing I will remember forever, but decent enough. Prices are a little high for Salisbury, but decent food with great service in a nice atmosphere makes it worthwhile. The beer menu is not overly complex and does not feature any microbrews, but is alright. They also brought complimentary glasses of port over after dinner, which was a nice touch.
(4)MT U.
All the other good reviews are right. This place was awesome. I love my shrimp in garlic. I thought the quest could have ha more flavor but it was ooey gooey delicious.
(4)Leslie Y.
This is a great place if you like thick sauces that smother the "food" under it. The decor is tacky and if the food is fresh, you wold never know it. Definitely not a place to go if you want a healthy meal or, worse, are on a diet.
(1)Jennifer L.
Four of us stopped in on a Saturday evening. We lucked out and were seated immediately but the dinner rush left a line out the door. We all had the filet with crab imperial and the seafood sauce. All of them were cooked perfectly and we all loved our meals. We will definitely be back!!
(4)Kevin A.
Wow. Who would expect such an interesting menu and high-quality food on a highway on the edge of Salisbury? We enjoyed everything, from coconut shrimp (a thousand times better than at Outback) to a Mediterranean salad to fajitas. Nice service, though it was a quiet night, so it's hard to judge what the place would be like when it's busy.
(5)Adrienne D.
I've never had a bad meal here but I always get the same thing! I can't help myself. The filet topped with crab is superb! The owner has made the rounds and spoken to each table every time we have been there. The service is quick and reliable. You wouldn't think a Mexican restaurant would have the best surf & turf in town but they do!
(5)Rebecca F.
Finally got back to Cactus Taverna recently aiming to try the paella and the alligator. Both were very good! The paella is enough for two people; it's a special dish, served in a pan. The service here is always very good. The owner often comes out to check on his customers. Sometimes he gives out sangria, although that didn't happen at my latest visit. In the past, I've also received some free port wine for "dessert", but not this time. Oh well.. Cactus Taverna is one of the better restaurants in Salisbury. Unfortunately, it's easy to forget about it when it's tucked up in a strip mall in the midst of the fast food chain- and suburbia-land which is northern Salisbury.
(4)Nick P.
Based on the ambiance, you'd think it's a middle-Eastern or Mediterranean restaurant, but there is a good variety of cuisine ethnicities. That being said, the food is excellent! The mussels in garlic butter and white wine sauce were great. I also had the corn and crab soup, which was pretty good, except it didn't have that much crab in it. My entree was the blackened ahi tuna with mango butter sauce. Everthing was well-balanced. You could taste each flavor and no one flavor overpowered another. I've had ahi before, but never with a mango butter sauce on it. The service is also fantastic. They are very professional and on top of things and work as a team. The owner, Emir, spent the whole time in the front, and since it's a small restaurant, he went around to every table to introduce himself. He runs a great restaurant, and is obviously passionate about it. Another time I went I was celebrating my college graduation. They have a great wine selection. We had a bottle of Stag's Leap Petit Syrah, one of Napa's premier wines, which lives up to the hype. They also have Alamos Malbec at a good price, I've had this wine elsewhere and it is quite good. The owner and manager stopped by our table to make sure everything was great. They were very accommodating with my elderly grandmother, who can be a handful to wait on sometimes. You certainly won't get a better experience anywhere in town!
(5)Susie J.
I was pleasantly surprised by this place. It's in an unassuming plaza next to starbucks. We really would have missed it if we didn't look it up on our phone. We ordered 3 specials & two appetizers. I forget the names, but it's most of what many already recommended in reviews and by our server. It was all delectable :) I ordered the sunfish with crab imperial in white sauce. You could taste the butter clogging your arteries, but why care? I'm out, so I'll enjoy it, all the while making myself believe it's a healthy dairy by-product :) You can tell it's not really tex mex, which the restaurant's name may reflect. To me it was a mix of coastal Italian cuisine mashed with mexican undertones of rice and beans. Shrugs* It worked. The decor is eclectic- part random thrown up objects mixed with a childish imagination. Cute but not reflective of the food. Will come back again.
(4)Vincent V.
Excellent, very friendly service. Provided us with great suggestions for what we were looking for, and with an eclectic menu like theirs, this was necessary. Thoroughly impressed by their skill in melding the Mexican and Mediterranean influences. Where the heavy aspect of Mexican food provides a strong base, the lighter, more appetizer-friendly side of Italian and Greek cuisine lightened up the meal. I had the Pita special with goat cheese (why have I not seen this combination before) and Veggie enchiladas, and my friend had the smoked salmon. Everything was fantastic, and the drinks were top notch. Highly recommended. Definitely deserves a five rating
(5)Jack L.
Roast duck at a Mexican restaurant??? It's not your typical fare. But it was damn good! But hey, any skin that's roasted to crispy goodness is always good.
(4)Steve I.
The owner is a marketing genius. Knowing that Greek restaurants (his obvious passion) struggle to attract a crowd, he sucks us in with a Mexican tease and then slams our taste buds with some of the best fish specials we've ever had - blending a perfectly prepared Hawaiin blackened sunfish with a mango salsa and couscous - and it works! The fish specials were around $17 but well worth the price. The margaritas ain't bad either.
(4)Evan L.
Do not be fooled by the name: this is not a Mexican restaurant. And this is NOT an insult. Cactus Taverna is a combination of Mexican, Italian, and, I believe, even Middle Eastern. Yes, Middle Eastern. Admittedly, I could not place the music or the flavors more precisely but the music, at least, and the salsa were decidedly of Middle East origin. Again, this is NOT an insult So what is Cactus Taverna? After a single visit, I'm still trying to figure it out. And, admittedly, I kind of like that. The chips were decent; however, the salsa was enticing: an intriguing mix that while absent of heat contains a healthy dose of cumin. Although I ordered Mexican standbys such as black bean soup and enchiladas, both decidedly better than the offerings of Plaza Tapatia yet unremarkable beyond that, the menu and specials offered a "Maza" appetizer (a plate of humus, pita, stuffed grape leaves, and feta), Chicken Florentine, and various steak and seafood dishes more at home in a Middle Eastern, Greak, or steak house style restaurants. Our server was outstanding. Even though my wife and I were in somewhat of a hurry that evening, he handily accommodated us. I suspect that there is more excitement to be had further from the Mexican dishes on the menu. Further visits will shed more light.
(3)Jessa M.
Husband and I tried Cactus Taverna for the first time today. Stopped in around 4:30pm on a Saturday and the place was quiet before the dinner rush. The decor has Spanish flair with a touch of the orient... Adobe colored walls and clay tiles on a facade that gives the impression of dining in an open courtyard, while the walls are hung with Persian rugs and the rather dim room is lit with star shaped light fixtures under a starry blue ceiling. It was a bit too dimly lit for my taste, but (being a belly-dancer) thoroughly enjoyed the Middle Eastern music being piped in. I don't get why people describe Cactus Taverna as simply a "Tex Mex" place. Yes, the decor looks a bit Mexican and they start you out with tortilla chips and a very mild salsa, but I've never seen Lamb Shanks or Crab Imperial topped Rockfish on the menu at any Tex Mex joint. Or Alligator appetizers, for that matter. Husband ordered the Lamb Shank and I got the Rockfish special. Both came with a hearty serving of very well cooked and seasoned vegetables as well as a small dish of rice and black beans. The Lamb Shank was fall-off-the-bone tender and just melted in your mouth. The rockfish was flaky perfect and smothered in a buttery (but not too buttery) cream sauce and lots of lump crab meat. The portion sizes were generous and each of us left with a to-go box containing enough for another meal. Husband had a glass of wine and also received a free glass of port to cap his meal. Our waiter was very friendly and helpful, helping me decide between two entrees and offering wine suggestions to my husband. When my husband particularly enjoyed the port, the waiter let him know where he could find a bottle locally. He also informed us that they've started serving lunch on Sundays, and he gave us a coupon. We'll definitely be going back to Cactus Taverna. I've heard very good things about the Paella and want to try that out. As an aside, I do know that they occasionally have belly dance performers, and while there was no show there this evening, I know the dancer who performs there and she is a very talented dancer.
(4)Tammy V.
I had the stuffed grouper which was very good. Service was excellent. Unfortunatly veggies were cold and not very flavorful. Otherwise everything else was good
(4)Allison V.
I really enjoy this place! The specials are great, especially the Sun Fish, Surf and Turf and the Mezze platter is a nice way to start the evening....AND the corn and crab soup is WONDERFUL!!! It's nice when a restaurant gives you some chips and salsa to snack on while waiting too! Some nights, if you're lucky you'll get some great entertainment too! Desserts have gotten better over the years.....as well as a FULL bar now! The Sangria is nice and refreshing as well! OH, and if you're lucky you'll get your Port at the end of dinner!
(4)Amanda M.
Working in Salisbury for a few days and decided to stop in based on the reviews here. We had sangria, the alligator appetizer, and two specials: chicken Florentine and kebabs. The waiter was knowledgeable and the service was prompt and courteous without being overbearing and the owner came out to check on us. My kebab special came with 1 beef, 1 shrimp, and 1 vegetable (green peppers, tomatoes, and onions) with a side of couscous. Very, very tasty and the couscous was properly prepared. My friend's chicken Florentine was also rated awesome although the side of vegetables she said was slightly overcooked. The alligator appetizer was ordered as an experiment and as I've never eaten alligator, I'm not really set to judge it! As a bonus, we were served port wine with our checks--great ending to a meal!
(4)L N.
I love this place. The food and service are consistently perfect. I love everything on the menu, and the chips and salsa are awesome. The owner is friendly and has come to the table to say hello every time we have eaten there. Probably one of my favorite places to eat ever!
(5)John S.
One of the dining highlights in Salisbury-- you've got your pick of three or four comparable Mexican places, but at how many of them will the owner come to your table and squirt red wine in your mouth? This is what I'm saying. The food is almost always excellent. They sometimes play live music, which isn't always a good thing.
(4)Jen G.
With a name like Cactus Taverna, I had my doubts about this place and assumed that it was a redneck dive bar, driving right by it for three years. I finally decided to give it a shot and was very pleasantly surprised. The waitress that I had was very nice and the owner walks around shooting wine into your mouth which is so funny. The owner looks like he is having a great time and makes everyone else feel the same way. The atmosphere is nice but laid back so it has a really great vibe going throughout the whole restaurant (but maybe that was the wine?). It is a nice sized place and mostly all in one room so it would work great for a large group of people. The Mediterranean style food is pretty good... their salsa in particular. This is one of the better establishments in Salisbury especially because it is locally owned, something that really seems to be lacking in this area.
(4)Jim C.
I don't have too much to say, except I wish I had read and believed Chad's review before choosing to eat here. I got a bad feeling looking at the menu and it got worse when the (free) chips and salsa came out...the chips tasted like 5 year old cardboard. Surf and turf was plated nicely but not very good. Overpriced, too. One beer and entree was $33 and just not worth it at all. Maybe I caught them on a bad night, table of 8 next to me had their entrees hit the table before their appetizers, not a sign of things going well...
(2)Tan N.
Cactus Taverna was recommended to me by a co-worker years ago, and I've been there 3 or 4 times in the last few years. It's a great atmosphere, with great food to match. The staff is nice and attentive, and the owner, Ahmed, usually makes his rounds and makes it a point to greet his customers and see how things are going. I liked Cactus Taverna so much, that a few years ago, we had our company Christmas dinner there. They have a general seating area, and a large room for big parties. The restaurant is in a small strip mall, next to a mattress store and a vaccuum cleaner store, but it's easy to miss while driving down RT 13. During Valentines' Day, Christmas, New Years, and other special days, they're a "reservations only" kind of place. I've seen a line 30 people long waiting to get a seat at Cactus Taverna on a Friday or Saturday night in the summer. Prices are average to high, with dinner entrees ranging from $12 - $22. I have had their seafood paella (amazing), their crab imperial and rockfish (very good), and something else that was equally good... but I can't remember what it was. Very good stuff.
(4)Heather T.
I absolutely adore this restaurant! I wouldn't call it tex mex, it seems more Mediterranean to me. The atmosphere, food, drinks (try the sangria), and staff are so welcoming. The owner almost always stops at every table after your meal, checking on the service and delivering a shot of liquor on the house.
(5)Tina G.
love the atmosphere, food, service, prices. Seafood enchiladas is DELISH. Absolutely love their chips and salsa.
(4)Michael S.
This place has gone downhill. The food is nothing like it was two years ago. Food tasted premade. Fish in the paella seem frozen and not fresh.
(2)Bill N.
We came in around 9pm although we weren't that hungry. We shared some appetizers and a chimichanga entree. Food was good. Mostly Mexican but they are also trying to be Mediterranean. Interesting mix. We had escargot and a mexican corn chowder... Meg was hoping for soft crabs like she saw on Yelp but there wasn't anything like that on the menu the night we were there.
(4)Christine P.
See other reviews to see what you'll get here. I'll just add the service was tremendous and the wine selection solid. I had the shrimp with crab imperial, yum. They even made it with less butter for me, and dressings on the side. My daughter had the crab and corn soup, excellent flavor. My husband had a paella full of seafood. He's Puerto Rican and picky but gave this a thumbs up. Nice ambiance (for a strip mall restaurant even) and great wait staff. We even got courtesy port for dessert, a nice treat.
(4)C. P.
This place. Is. Amazing. When visiting family, I always make it a point to go here! Every experience here has been top-notch. The owner is super attentive and is always walking around making sure everyone is satisfied with their meal and enjoying themselves. The food is always of the utmost quality and the atmosphere is so much fun. I just wish they'd bring back the mango raspberry cheesecake!! That was the best part of going there until they took it off the menu!!
(5)Mike M.
Quaintly decorated although the lighting is turned down so low that it's almost hard to read the menu. The food is pretty standard Tex Mex with some impressive specials and a comprehensive wine list. The wait staff are extremely attentive and well versed on the menu. There was live entertainment on a particular Friday that we dined there and for lack of a better word, it sucked. If you do not drink alcohol be aware that at the end of your meal you will be offered a mouthful of port wine as a night cap. You might also notice another strange custom while dining here - a server bringing around a soft canteen full of white sangria that, if you want some, will squirt the drink into your mouth from a good two or three feet away. I saw this happening during our second visit and inquired with our server. She says that it's a custom of the South American country that the owners hail from.
(4)Chris L.
Been here once, and had a great experience. The outside is a little deceiving, but don't let that keep you from giving Cactus a shot. You won't be disappointed. It's way more than just Tex-Mex, in fact the menu pretty much defies categorization. The decor is charming, the wait staff excellent. There was also some live music on the evening I was there, which absolutely delighted my date and I (thanks Cactus!!).
(5)Jed S.
A delicious, reasonably priced Mexican restaurant with some mediteranean food tossed on the menu for good measure. My grilled chicken was extremely delicious and well cooked, although my girlfriend said that the shrimp for her shrimp fajita was a bit overdone. The service was very prompt and friendly. The decor was cheerful.
(4)Mac T.
Highest rating on the Mac-O-Meter and that is saying a lot. The food is excellent and extremely consistent, never had a bad meal. All the fish dishes are great, rack of lamb is my favorite thing on the menu. Food is flavorful, plentiful, pleasing to the eye and tummy. The service is stellar. Prices are very reasonable. This is an excellent choice in an area where the restaurants in general are crap. Cactus is by far the best restaurant anywhere in the area. I have traveled the world extensively and Cactus is so good it rates among the best restaurants anywhere. Live music on Friday and Saturday, great lively atmosphere, overall an awesome experience.
(5)Josh A.
Cactus Taverna is a great upscale Mexican restaurant offering much more than your typical Mexican fare. The decor is decidely South of the Border (and bordering on cheesy with the sombreros on the wall), but it does have it's charm. The center "courtyard" is actually rather pretty. Despite the decorating scheme, there is more to the menu than tacos and margaritas. That's not to say they don't have the usual suspects, too. You can order tacos, enchiladas, and fajitas, but your choices don't end there. The appetizers are great, everything from alligator to escargot. The escargot is delicious, by the way. They also offer a wide variety of fresh seafood and steaks. They have a full bar and the drinks are affordable and quite good. Back to the Mexican selections. I have to say their fajitas are some of the best I've ever had, and definitely the best in Salisbury. While the prices for some of the fancier entrees can be a little high (though well worth it), the Mexican fare is extremely well priced for the size of the portions. It's a great place to go with a group of friends, although, if you're planning to go on Cinco de Mayo, I recommend making reservations. The last time we went, the place was packed to the rafters and as a result, service (which is usually excellent) was a little slow. None of us minded at all since we were a large party and, as I said, the place was packed. At the end of our meal, the waitress brought us a complimentary round of port as an apology, though. It's that kind of place. Oh, and there's often live music, too. Not the greatest talents, perhaps, but it does add to the ambiance.
(4)J W.
Must have gone on a bad night. Food was boring at best. Entertainment sounded like someone had their little sister come on stage. Service ok. Mexican dishes very far from authentic. Haven't gone back.
(1)Vincent V.
Excellent, very friendly service. Provided us with great suggestions for what we were looking for, and with an eclectic menu like theirs, this was necessary. Thoroughly impressed by their skill in melding the Mexican and Mediterranean influences. Where the heavy aspect of Mexican food provides a strong base, the lighter, more appetizer-friendly side of Italian and Greek cuisine lightened up the meal. I had the Pita special with goat cheese (why have I not seen this combination before) and Veggie enchiladas, and my friend had the smoked salmon. Everything was fantastic, and the drinks were top notch. Highly recommended. Definitely deserves a five rating
(5)Tan N.
Cactus Taverna was recommended to me by a co-worker years ago, and I've been there 3 or 4 times in the last few years. It's a great atmosphere, with great food to match. The staff is nice and attentive, and the owner, Ahmed, usually makes his rounds and makes it a point to greet his customers and see how things are going. I liked Cactus Taverna so much, that a few years ago, we had our company Christmas dinner there. They have a general seating area, and a large room for big parties. The restaurant is in a small strip mall, next to a mattress store and a vaccuum cleaner store, but it's easy to miss while driving down RT 13. During Valentines' Day, Christmas, New Years, and other special days, they're a "reservations only" kind of place. I've seen a line 30 people long waiting to get a seat at Cactus Taverna on a Friday or Saturday night in the summer. Prices are average to high, with dinner entrees ranging from $12 - $22. I have had their seafood paella (amazing), their crab imperial and rockfish (very good), and something else that was equally good... but I can't remember what it was. Very good stuff.
(4)Heather T.
I absolutely adore this restaurant! I wouldn't call it tex mex, it seems more Mediterranean to me. The atmosphere, food, drinks (try the sangria), and staff are so welcoming. The owner almost always stops at every table after your meal, checking on the service and delivering a shot of liquor on the house.
(5)Tina G.
love the atmosphere, food, service, prices. Seafood enchiladas is DELISH. Absolutely love their chips and salsa.
(4)Michael S.
This place has gone downhill. The food is nothing like it was two years ago. Food tasted premade. Fish in the paella seem frozen and not fresh.
(2)Jed S.
A delicious, reasonably priced Mexican restaurant with some mediteranean food tossed on the menu for good measure. My grilled chicken was extremely delicious and well cooked, although my girlfriend said that the shrimp for her shrimp fajita was a bit overdone. The service was very prompt and friendly. The decor was cheerful.
(4)Andrea M.
Awesome food and service every time. Not sure why one review said the food has gone downhill, I've been eating there for years and it's always consistently excellent. The owner is there almost every night, he walks around and talks with customers. He really makes you feel welcome! Their margaritas are awesome. The beer list is pretty small, no craft brews.
(5)Rajiv D.
This was a pleasant surprise. The owners of this Mexican joint are Jordanians. Which explains the Arabic pop music in the restaurant. The service was excellent. And the food was good.
(4)Steve W.
This place was recommended by a colleague so I gave it a try. The service was good and the Chicken Florentine was excellent. The owner made the rounds during the meal which was a very nice touch. It was a week night so the place was rather quiet so this made for a decent atmosphere for conversation. The name says Mexican but it certainly offered more and I would describe as mixed ethnic dining which only enhanced what was offered on the menu. I definitely will return.
(4)Jack L.
Roast duck at a Mexican restaurant??? It's not your typical fare. But it was damn good! But hey, any skin that's roasted to crispy goodness is always good.
(4)Mac T.
Highest rating on the Mac-O-Meter and that is saying a lot. The food is excellent and extremely consistent, never had a bad meal. All the fish dishes are great, rack of lamb is my favorite thing on the menu. Food is flavorful, plentiful, pleasing to the eye and tummy. The service is stellar. Prices are very reasonable. This is an excellent choice in an area where the restaurants in general are crap. Cactus is by far the best restaurant anywhere in the area. I have traveled the world extensively and Cactus is so good it rates among the best restaurants anywhere. Live music on Friday and Saturday, great lively atmosphere, overall an awesome experience.
(5)Allison V.
I really enjoy this place! The specials are great, especially the Sun Fish, Surf and Turf and the Mezze platter is a nice way to start the evening....AND the corn and crab soup is WONDERFUL!!! It's nice when a restaurant gives you some chips and salsa to snack on while waiting too! Some nights, if you're lucky you'll get some great entertainment too! Desserts have gotten better over the years.....as well as a FULL bar now! The Sangria is nice and refreshing as well! OH, and if you're lucky you'll get your Port at the end of dinner!
(4)John S.
One of the dining highlights in Salisbury-- you've got your pick of three or four comparable Mexican places, but at how many of them will the owner come to your table and squirt red wine in your mouth? This is what I'm saying. The food is almost always excellent. They sometimes play live music, which isn't always a good thing.
(4)Bill N.
We came in around 9pm although we weren't that hungry. We shared some appetizers and a chimichanga entree. Food was good. Mostly Mexican but they are also trying to be Mediterranean. Interesting mix. We had escargot and a mexican corn chowder... Meg was hoping for soft crabs like she saw on Yelp but there wasn't anything like that on the menu the night we were there.
(4)Christine P.
See other reviews to see what you'll get here. I'll just add the service was tremendous and the wine selection solid. I had the shrimp with crab imperial, yum. They even made it with less butter for me, and dressings on the side. My daughter had the crab and corn soup, excellent flavor. My husband had a paella full of seafood. He's Puerto Rican and picky but gave this a thumbs up. Nice ambiance (for a strip mall restaurant even) and great wait staff. We even got courtesy port for dessert, a nice treat.
(4)C. P.
This place. Is. Amazing. When visiting family, I always make it a point to go here! Every experience here has been top-notch. The owner is super attentive and is always walking around making sure everyone is satisfied with their meal and enjoying themselves. The food is always of the utmost quality and the atmosphere is so much fun. I just wish they'd bring back the mango raspberry cheesecake!! That was the best part of going there until they took it off the menu!!
(5)Mike M.
Quaintly decorated although the lighting is turned down so low that it's almost hard to read the menu. The food is pretty standard Tex Mex with some impressive specials and a comprehensive wine list. The wait staff are extremely attentive and well versed on the menu. There was live entertainment on a particular Friday that we dined there and for lack of a better word, it sucked. If you do not drink alcohol be aware that at the end of your meal you will be offered a mouthful of port wine as a night cap. You might also notice another strange custom while dining here - a server bringing around a soft canteen full of white sangria that, if you want some, will squirt the drink into your mouth from a good two or three feet away. I saw this happening during our second visit and inquired with our server. She says that it's a custom of the South American country that the owners hail from.
(4)Chris L.
Been here once, and had a great experience. The outside is a little deceiving, but don't let that keep you from giving Cactus a shot. You won't be disappointed. It's way more than just Tex-Mex, in fact the menu pretty much defies categorization. The decor is charming, the wait staff excellent. There was also some live music on the evening I was there, which absolutely delighted my date and I (thanks Cactus!!).
(5)Steve I.
The owner is a marketing genius. Knowing that Greek restaurants (his obvious passion) struggle to attract a crowd, he sucks us in with a Mexican tease and then slams our taste buds with some of the best fish specials we've ever had - blending a perfectly prepared Hawaiin blackened sunfish with a mango salsa and couscous - and it works! The fish specials were around $17 but well worth the price. The margaritas ain't bad either.
(4)Amanda M.
Working in Salisbury for a few days and decided to stop in based on the reviews here. We had sangria, the alligator appetizer, and two specials: chicken Florentine and kebabs. The waiter was knowledgeable and the service was prompt and courteous without being overbearing and the owner came out to check on us. My kebab special came with 1 beef, 1 shrimp, and 1 vegetable (green peppers, tomatoes, and onions) with a side of couscous. Very, very tasty and the couscous was properly prepared. My friend's chicken Florentine was also rated awesome although the side of vegetables she said was slightly overcooked. The alligator appetizer was ordered as an experiment and as I've never eaten alligator, I'm not really set to judge it! As a bonus, we were served port wine with our checks--great ending to a meal!
(4)L N.
I love this place. The food and service are consistently perfect. I love everything on the menu, and the chips and salsa are awesome. The owner is friendly and has come to the table to say hello every time we have eaten there. Probably one of my favorite places to eat ever!
(5)Jen G.
With a name like Cactus Taverna, I had my doubts about this place and assumed that it was a redneck dive bar, driving right by it for three years. I finally decided to give it a shot and was very pleasantly surprised. The waitress that I had was very nice and the owner walks around shooting wine into your mouth which is so funny. The owner looks like he is having a great time and makes everyone else feel the same way. The atmosphere is nice but laid back so it has a really great vibe going throughout the whole restaurant (but maybe that was the wine?). It is a nice sized place and mostly all in one room so it would work great for a large group of people. The Mediterranean style food is pretty good... their salsa in particular. This is one of the better establishments in Salisbury especially because it is locally owned, something that really seems to be lacking in this area.
(4)Jim C.
I don't have too much to say, except I wish I had read and believed Chad's review before choosing to eat here. I got a bad feeling looking at the menu and it got worse when the (free) chips and salsa came out...the chips tasted like 5 year old cardboard. Surf and turf was plated nicely but not very good. Overpriced, too. One beer and entree was $33 and just not worth it at all. Maybe I caught them on a bad night, table of 8 next to me had their entrees hit the table before their appetizers, not a sign of things going well...
(2)