Cactus Restaurant & Bar

A solidly three star restaurant. We stopped by for lunch during the Manayunk Arts Festival to rest our legs and enjoy the air conditioning. The wait staff was very friendly and efficient dashing from table to table helping customers. We were expecting a Mexican restaurant, but this place is more of a tex mex establishment with typical bar decor. They serve "Americanized" Mexican meals like burritos and tacos that didn't have any exotic ingredients. The plates were plastic (picnic type) which was odd, but maybe it was just due to the arts festival. The food was ok. I had the breakfast burrito which was good, but not spectacular.  It came with a side of tortilla chips, but no salsa was offered.

I do not know why this is at 3 stars!  Their over all atmosphere is great! Start off with a free basket of chips and salsa...their beer and mixed drink selection is huge. The bartenders are friendly! One night my room mate were there on an empty week night B/Sing with the bartender all night and he def knocked off a round or two of drinks for us. We left him a nice tip!  The daily specials are unbeatable! Margarita Mondays! $10 pitcher!  Normally they are $28....not worth $28...but on Mondays...well worth it!!  Their burritos are great! I think once i had one that was sub-par...but that was one time.  All of their other Mexican food i have had is excellent! The buffet on the weekends!!! def try it! for $8 you get eggs, sausage, pancakes, sausage, bacon, small burrito, pastries, fruit, and great drink specials.  Sangria is very good! Not too strong but still good.  5 star bar in Manayunk!!  I go two-three times a month... if you are in the Manayunk sport and social league you get a free drink after the game.  So after our Sunday softball games we usually go there instead of the bayou now!

I have gone here a couple times for brunch. The food is bland but the price is right: $8.00 for an all-you-can-eat breakfast buffet. The food needs seasoning but again:  8 bucks. Can't beat it, and you don't have to wait for your food! My real issue is the wait staff, unfortunately. LOUD and shouting to each other about stuff we don't want to all know: how drunk you got recently, how much you dread turning 30, how you only plan to work there another year and then get a "big girl" job, how you don't consider bloody mary's to be an alcoholic beverage...  The place was nearly empty both times I was there for brunch and witnessed this, so it's loud enough that you can barely carry on a normal conversation at your table. It's not like you WANT to listen to these girls talk, but you HAVE to. It's a shame. Good music is playing. But you can barely hear it over the bartender and server's banter.