Cactus Taverna in Salisbury - Phone Number, Reservations, Reviews

Ordered the paella which tased great! Service was amazing and the servers all super friendly. Thank you all for a fun evening.

We went to Cactus Taverna for an early dinner. I ordered a caprese salad to start. The salad came with eggplant, tomatoes, spinach and a balsamic drizzle. The eggplant had just the right amount of breading and had a nice crunch. My wife ordered the seafood enchilada, which was tortillas stuffed with shrimp and scallops, with cheese and a creamy seafood sauce. Rice and black beans were the sides. I had the pollo asparago, which was chicken, shrimp and scallops with a creamy seafood sauce. Plenty of asparagus as a veggie. They served complimentary port for “dessert.” There was a guitarist playing soft rock which was a nice touch. Recommended.

Surprise! This restaurant is located in a strip mall and we were amazed at the quality of the food, the decor, and the excellent service! We ordered the Caprese Salad, Seafood Enchalida, and Roasted Duckling. Every bite was so well prepared that we thoroughly enjoyed this meal and will certainly dine there again. This is an amazing restaurant - and is highly recommended for dinner!

My wife and I wanted to try this place because of the good reviews but we should have checked the bad reviews, since they are all spot on. You get free chips and salsa at the table. Not much salsa and the chips are really bland with no salt. You will find that bland is a common theme here. Plaza Tapatia or La Tolteca offer better chips, better sauce, and more of both. We had shrimp and crab dip as an apetizer and this was pretty decent. Nothing to brag about, but decent. I ordered the surf and turf. This turns out to be a small cut of steak with crab imperial on it and 4 regular shrimp. The texture of the steak was off. It did not taste like a real steak, but more like if the hospital served you a steak. Or maybe Denny's steak. The whole thing had the taste of a meal that had been cooked and frozen, then heated up to serve. That's just a guess. It was edible but not good. The wife tried the lomo saltado. Not sure about spelling. If I were you, I would avoid this one altogether. Bland sauce. Bland veggies. Extra bland beef. It just tasted like something thrown together and not cooked together since the beef had not absorbed any flavor from the sauce. Service and decor are both pretty good. No real problems there, but not good enough to make you want to pay good money for bad food. I like to support local small business but this place should be avoided. Overall 1 star.

Have always had a good dining experience in the past. My wife ordered the pollo aspargo and really enjoyed her choice. Her chicken breast was very moist and the scallops were excellent. I ordered the stuffed chicken and the breast was so dry I couldn't eat it, it was overcooked. I took it home for our dog and she had a hard time eating it, it was just too dry with the edges way over cooked (brown edges). The side black beans and rice had no seasoning and were definitely Al dente. Ordered the lemon cream cake which was excellent. Surprised the owner didn't make his usual rounds tonight. The wait staff was outstanding (Server Caroline) but the bartender and possibly one of the owners was walking around in a T-shirt and shorts???? The restaurant appears clean. One issue I had was they charge 3% if you use a credit card. However after the meal the server advised us of the charge and even went so far to make sure we knew it was posted on the front door. So when we left, there was a small note on the door about the charge. The average person won't have seen this note about the charge. This sign needs to be bigger since we don't usually carry cash. Parking can be challenging if they are busy. I usually don't return or recommend restaurants that charge the CC fee especially with their higher than average prices. Probably won't return.

Have always had a good dining experience in the past. My wife ordered the pollo aspargo and really enjoyed her choice. Her chicken breast was very moist and the scallops were excellent. I ordered the stuffed chicken and the breast was so dry I couldn't eat it, it was overcooked. I took it home for our dog and she had a hard time eating it, it was just too dry with the edges way over cooked (brown edges). The side black beans and rice had no seasoning and were definitely Al dente. Ordered the lemon cream cake which was excellent. Surprised the owner didn't make his usual rounds tonight. The wait staff was outstanding (Server Caroline) but the bartender and possibly one of the owners was walking around in a T-shirt and shorts???? The restaurant appears clean. One issue I had was they charge 3% if you use a credit card. However after the meal the server advised us of the charge and even went so far to make sure we knew it was posted on the front door. So when we left, there was a small note on the door about the charge. The average person won't have seen this note about the charge. This sign needs to be bigger since we don't usually carry cash. Very dark inside. Parking can be challenging if they are busy. I usually don't return or recommend restaurants that charge the CC fee especially with their higher than average prices. Probably won't return

Everything was great. Friendly, knowledgeable staff. Food was both unique for the area, fresh and delicious.

Such great food and what a beautiful atmosphere!!! Decorated wonderfully with amazing music on certain nights!! I definitely can't wait to go when they have live music with belly dancers! Wish it was a once a month event!! The owner Imar comes out and welcomes everyone and is a wonderful host and the staff are so kind and courteous! Favorite restaurant in Salisbury!!🌟🏆

Value for money... friendly staff... keyboardist was a nice touch. Only complaint is that they charge for using a credit card... in 2024 as society moves towards cashless transactions. This tainted the experience

The manager/owner worked the dinner tables making you feel like family. Very positive atmosphere and the food was great. Service was great. When the owner brought out the wine bag and squirted a wine shot in your mouth was really Kool. The saxophone player was a great touch and he played very well. Please remember to tip!!! We absolutely will be returning for another great experience in dining.

Service was awful. She took my plates without asking if I was done. I was still eating. We felt like we were rushed and they only had one other table. It was very bizarre. Food is always great. I have been here several times over the years. This was a first. They charged extra for the tortillas they only give you 2. And there was a surcharge on credit cards when did this start. We got extra chips and salsa paid extra and she took it away before we were done

Get service, great atmosphere and the food was perfection. Live music was awesome as well 👏 🙌 👌

We like going there the only downside is the parking situation. The food and service was good but the waitress forgot the side dishes and I thought the portion was a little small for the price that's why I didn't give them 5 stars for everything. I would go there again though.

Don't let the name fool you into thinking this place is another run of the mill tex-mex variant. Staff, atmosphere, and food all great. The menu will surprise you. Live music adds a special touch. Did I mention the excellent martinis?

I had paella and it was not great. One person had the filet topped with crabmeat and advise the crab was watery. Another had the lamb shank and enjoyed it. Service was excellent just not the food.

Cactus Taverna is the total package! We walked in and were immediately greeted with warm smiles, soft lighting, enticing aromas and the smooth melody of a live saxophone. The selection of food was impressive and different from the repetitive menu you get at almost every local restaurant. The food did not disappoint either! Whether you're looking for a place to have a family meal or a romantic date; Cactus Taverna is the right place to go! 5 stars isn't enough!

We had dinner at Cactus Taverna and the food was great. The atmosphere was warm and welcoming. The owner truly shows that he is grateful for your business. I will definitely eat there again.

I had the fajita dinner. Food was piping hot and tasted good. One suggestion to the owner. Get a different brand of chips. The salsa was excellent.

The food is amazing, the service is good and honestly it's a lot like going to a wedding party on Friday nights. Kinda felt like it was full of family.

Hooyah !!! ....THIS IS A RESTAURANT!!! If the Spartans stopped here, that's what they would say... I'm on this med journey, and yet Agian, you didn't disappoint. This was the only restaurant that I would have given it a perfect score and then two michillen stars . The food was confort food with great wine spices and the Chai tea was to die for the customers service was very quick and the wait time for food was very short ...I don't mean very short. The lamb shank was falling off the bone, and i had to go get a ladder. On how much the meat fallening off the bone the atmosphere was cozy and friendly. The desserts were made fresh, and the wine and dark whiskey was "the lotus of the orient." It's a great mix of European Spain dishes with Mediterranean dishes ...overall. Good job, guys Vets are welcome, and please make sure you bring money to this restaurant... lots of it !!!! Mashallah !!!!

The wait staff was very pleasant and made sure that we wanted for nothing. Our food was AMAZING! Most flavorful dinner we’ve had in a very long time! Can’t wait to dine here again soon!

Wonderful owner, professional and pleasant staff and atmosphere and music is relaxing!! MY favorite place to eat in Salisbury! An unforgettable dining experience every time I go…..and I always take my guests there to eat!

Food was great. Service was good. Had a sax player that made it hard to talk.

My wife and I wanted to try this place because of the good reviews but we should have checked the bad reviews, since they are all spot on. You get free chips and salsa at the table. Not much salsa and the chips are really bland with no salt. You will find that bland is a common theme here. Plaza Tapatia or La Tolteca offer better chips, better sauce, and more of both. We had shrimp and crab dip as an apetizer and this was pretty decent. Nothing to brag about, but decent. I ordered the surf and turf. This turns out to be a small cut of steak with crab imperial on it and 4 regular shrimp. The texture of the steak was off. It did not taste like a real steak, but more like if the hospital served you a steak. Or maybe Denny's steak. The whole thing had the taste of a meal that had been cooked and frozen, then heated up to serve. That's just a guess. It was edible but not good. The wife tried the lomo saltado. Not sure about spelling. If I were you, I would avoid this one altogether. Bland sauce. Bland veggies. Extra bland beef. Had the taste of something thrown together and not cooked together since the beef had not absorbed any flavor from the sauce. Service and decor are both pretty good. No real problems there, but not good enough to make you want to pay good money for bad food. I like to support local small business but this place should be avoided. Overall 1 star because good decor does not make up for the bad food.

Service was nice but unfortunately the food was very bad. Sea food tasted off, and steak was not cooked well at all

Our go to place for date nights. Went in on Saturday evening around 7, lots of tables open. Quick service and food came out very fast. We had our usual Filet and Crab special, cooked to our liking.

We were immediately greeted and immediately seated. Our server, Sarah was awesome! She is very pleasant and attentive. She explained all of the special appetizers and entrees. The food here is very good and the portions are just right. For entrees we had Mariacos Saltados and Blackened Salmon with Shrimp and Scallops. We are asked for bread and butter and water with lemon and no ice. Everything was delicious, filling, and we had a great experience.

Food delicious. Our waitress Crystal is amazing as always. If you have not been there it is a must try.

The waitress was very friendly and knowledgeable about the menu and the wines that pair with food the experience was great and the live music was great treat as well will be coming back !!!

Delicious food, great staff and service! Favorite restaurant in Salisbury!

Our server made our celebration so enjoyable. We had a triple celebration (retirement, college graduation, and a birthday.) She brought out a dessert of our choice w/ a candle, She brought little shooters for each of us for toasting, she answered extensive questions about the menu. Because of her recommendations, every one of us had a delicious entree. The escargo was was fantastic and generous. The grouper on the main menu with the artichokes was outstanding. My son got duck and he loved it. My niece got some dish with chicken and spinach in red sauce then bacon wrapped scallops. Divine. Finally I got the grouper special with crab imperial on top. Mine was very tasty, but I liked My father's grouper from the main menu better. A wonderful all around enjoyable restaurant experience. A rarity these days. Oh, and the pianist was excellent.

Grooper with crab imperial was delish!

Hidden gem! Excellent food and service. Great value too. My sister and I both got salmon - mine was grilled, hers was Veracruz style with shrimp and scallops. Both with asparagus and mashed potatoes. We agreed it was excellent! Can't wait to go back.

Food was delicious! Waitresses were kind and helpful. I recommend this place!

What a great meal. Two of us had grouper topped with crab imperial and two of us had seafood enchiladas. Both meals were outstanding followed by excellent desserts. There was live music and the owner pouring wine out of a flask directly into your mouth made for a great evening meal. Highly recommend

the name of this business and interior decor is kinda misleading. I've tried different food from different countries and this is not a Mediterranean, Spanish or Mexican restaurant at all. We were so disappointed with the quality of our food. The entrées are so small and you'll pay about $30-$40 each. Sorry but never again

Absolutely phenomenal in every sense

Best Restaurant on the Eastern Shore of MD and VA! I have been enjoying this restaurant since 2013 and every time I go, I am always delighted with the delicious food, the refreshing variety of menu items and the service is the best on the Eastern shore! I have been a prep chef and waiter for high end restaurants in Los Angeles and Atlanta and this restaurant deserves 5 stars in my opinion. My personal favorites are the frog legs, paella, and any of their delicious specials! The owner is amazing and he always makes sure his customers have a wonderful dining experience.

First time coming here and they had Amazing food and an awesome staff I will definitely be back again.

What a change in quality. For the price. I expected someone edible. Instead, the duck was dry and overcooked. With a few parts so tough i had trouble chewing it.

Finally, I found a great restaurant in town. I should qualify to say I am from NNJ, the land of great restaurants, so I may be spoiled. Hostess was very courteous, and all the staff were very attentive. Food: The frogs legs were the best I have had in years. The lamb shank was good, a bit over sauced, and under salted and should have been served over risotto and had more veggies, but flavor was very good. My advice: change the mexican name, stop serving chips salsa and rice/beans and go completely Mediterranean. I will definitely be back!

I'm curious what your strategy is in not allowing potential customers to look at your menu outside of business hours?

The food was excellent. Had fried oysters and the salmon. Flavor was very robust to the pallet. Will dine there again. Hat off to the chef.

Great food. Friendly staff Welcoming owner.

That was the best steak I have ever had, cooked perfect and it was unbelievable tender. Will be my go to for steak!!!

This place was amazing. The food was the best. I ordered stuffed grouper, and my husband ordered the paella. As you can see the portions were big. The staff was very friendly even the owner manager addressed us. It was our 25th and we will definitely be coming back. Was glad I found this place while scrolling through my phone. I was also searching for Smith Island cake. This was the only place I found it.

We've never had a bad meal or service. We can always rely on Cactus Taverna to be consistent in their quality. A wonderful place to go to celebrate or enjoy a nice meal. **Here I am with an update. I've been several times since my last review and my opinion is still the same. Tonight we had the Valentine's special and chose stuffed shrimp, stuffed grouper, Filet with crab, and reese's Smith Island cake. We absolutely love Cactus Taverna and are never disappointed with the staff or food. Another wonderfully special meal 💗

Had the seafood enchiladas and wife had the fish special, grouper with crab imperial, both dishes were amazing. You get a small amount of a desert type wine at the end as well which was also good (at least during this visit we did, so not sure if this was a common thing or not). Great atmosphere and very friendly staff.

Haven't eaten here is about 10 years. It was as good as I remembered! Very fresh and delicious. Great wait staff and great atmosphere. Thank you for a great meal and we'll be back soon!

Always great food, great service and great atmosphere. The grouper special is amazing!

NEVER a bad experience! Love being able to try something new almost every time! Except the hummus plate, that's a must!

Got the alligator and duck on my journey of character development. Pretty tasty.

My Favorite for sure and I'll keep going back with family and friends 👌♥️

It was ok. Can't really explain why I'm not real impressed by the place but something was off.

This is where the locals go. Great food and ambiance. Can’t go wrong.

My favorite restaurant in the area. Consist food and service.

Really enjoyed the whole experience. Awesome wait staff and I really liked the Cream of Crab an Corn soup, sounded interesting and it was.

Absolutely great food and service we had was top notch.

Service was excellent, food was delicious! I was hesitant to get the duck as I’m very fussy about my duck, but it was so delicious. Perfectly done! Highly recommend Cactus Taverna!

Nice place. Food was good and waitress was great

Our server, Emmi was top notch. She knew all of the specials — and there were several — and provided info on various items on the menu. The booze choices were limited. The habanero wings special were amazing. Spicy and delicious. Thanks for a great evening!

Very nice restaurant with a delicious menu with interesting ingredients, excellent food, I would recommend this restaurant for a very nice dinner out. Most Wednesdays they have a guy playing the panino and he is very good.

I’m not sure why this restaurant has such high reviews. I’m assuming it’s from small town folk who have never actually ventured out into the culinary world to try authentic Latin, Spanish, and Mediterranean cuisines. There seems to be a misrepresentation of what “homemade” vs. canned food is. The ambiance is nice inside and the staff are friendly but by no means is this a restaurant of such high accord. I hope this review serves as motivation for the restaurant to do better and provide the people of this town an actual quality and authentic restaurant.

This restaurant is not Mexican, Spanish or Mediterranean in any way shape or form….they serve flavorless grilled seafood and should be called a seafood grill.. the salsa was store bought tomato sauce or pasta sauce with some springs onions, regular onions and a few tomatoes thrown together. We also had the lomo saltado which is a flavorful Peruvian beef dish on a bed of thick cut French fries…the lomo Saltado here was basically beef chunks with the vegetables from a fajita plate and McDonald’s fries thrown together…the HUMMUS in this apparently Mediterranean fusion restaurant was just coarsely ground chickpeas garnished with the same fajita plate veggies aka long cut onions and green peppers…I think the pita was from either ALDIS or FOOD LION cut up into tiny triangles…the plates only look good and they have a dude playing the sax..trying to make up for the bland & flavorless food I guess..if you gave five stars you’ve probably never eaten real Mexican, Spanish or Mediterranean food or travelled very far out of Delmarva… Please try the hummus at a restaurant like RUMIS or the salsa at PLAZA TAPATIA and try the lomo saltado at POLLO RICO in pocomoke city..that’s REAL FOOD! that’s food back from our homes to your homes..

Looking for a restaurant to have dinner, was intrigued by the menu options so We went and were pleasantly surprised Ordered the paella, duck and another shrimp Peruvian dish that I forgot it’s name Staff were attentive and food was excellent ( shrimp was bit not so fresh but still overall everything was excellent ) Thank you

Fantastic experience and environment. If you prefer Mediterranean food, you might like eating here as much as I did. Also, the staff was quite pleasant. Thank you very much!

This place is really wonderful. A group of 12 of us frim Mallard Landing had dinner there last night.i forgot our server’s name,but she was absolutely a gem! Food was delicious and hot when served and she was very patient with us as well as helpful. It was my husband and my first visit and will definitely be returning.

Great staff! Excellent food! Will definitely go back

Very good food. Has unique menu items you won't find in most places locally.

This is not a Mexican restaurant. It’s a majpaj of cuisines but delicious! I got a chicken special and it was blackened with scallops and shrimp in a creamy asparagus sauce; a-mazing!! I will come back for more! Oh and outstanding black bean soup.

Great food and service. Definitely going back.

Food was amazing atmosphere was very pleasant they had a piano player waitress was incredibly nice

Giving it 5 stars because of the overall experience WE had. The server Misty was very friendly and attentive to our party of 4. The food was great and the margaritas (in a pitcher) were fantastic! At one point one of the managers/owners noticed our drinks were low and walked by asking how everything was, refilled our margaritas for us and chatted with us for a few minutes. By the time we finished eating we asked if we could move to a table closer to the performer they had that night (Carley Twigg) which was amazing btw, and they let us move without any issue. We stayed until Carley finished performing at around 9pm. Overall, completely satisfied with our experience and will definitely return in the future for a 3rd visit. FYI this is NOT a Mexican restaurant, this was our second visit here and the first time we thought it was a Mexican Restaurant.

Never disappointed, the filet is the beat in town!

Great service, delicious food, and a wonderful atmosphere.

The food was prepared perfectly. My wife had grouper with crab imperial, and I had the fillet with crab imperial. our appetizer was the best of all, stuffed shrimp. it was a meal in itself and the taste was absolutely outstanding. Our waitress was the most attentive waitress i have had. She was able to anticipate our needs before we knew them. This is the best restaurant i have been to in recent memory. We are so lucky to have them in our town.

Went to Cactus Taverna by myself last night for dinner. I was quickly seated at a lovely booth and served especially good salsa and chips. The service was fantastic and friendly and my server was helpful and kind. I had the chef’s special grouper that was very good. Highly recommend!

Great service ! Our server was fast and efficient!Food was very delicious and the filet stake cooked to perfection!

This places runs with excellence and care for the customer! Every single thing was perfect. The stuffed chicken, fajitas and the strawberries with cream were all delicious! The fact that the owner comes by each time we have been there shows concern for each person who dines. The saxophone music was a beautiful bonus. Thank you all for a wonderful Valentine’s Day experience!!

Love this restaurant! Not only is the food great but the owner is very active, hands on and much loved.

Love it!!! One of my favorite places. The stuffed shrimp is my go to.

Company party and very good staff and great food. Had a fun time.

We had the most lovely Christmas Eve dinner there, live saxophone player, delicious interesting food, and a warm and friendly staff. Not sure if it was the owner but someone had delicious homemade sangria to share. Was an absolute delight!

This place surprised me with the selection and quality. I had the special which was filet topped with crab. It was excellent.

I cant believe I waited almost 20 years to try this place. The food was excellent and service was perfect!! I will definitely be returning.

Family night on Sunday. 3 great meals and perfect service. Paella was loaded with flavor. An hour drive for us but may go again especially if we are near Salisbury.

My friend and I ate here on our way south to Florida. We had her service dog with us and everyone was very friendly and helpful with accommodating us. Our waitress, Victoria, was very friendly. She brought us chips and salsa when we sat down and suggested several dishes for us. Everything we ordered was tasty and fresh, including the delicious salsa. This was a Saturday night and the place started to fill up but we did not feel at all rushed. We also enjoyed the piano playing during the meal and he played “How Much Is that Doggie in the Window” as we walked out.

Delicious food, nice atmosphere great service

One of our favorite spots in Salisbury!! The food is always excellent, and the servers, as well as the owner, are always very attentive, extremely nice and helpful. If you've never been, what are you waiting for!!???!

What a wonderful place. The food was fantastic. This place is a hidden gem. I highly recommend people who have never been to go, you will not be disappointed!

Has been my favorite dinner destination in Salisbury for years- everything they make is delicious and affordable for the high quality of food you receive. Wonderful experience and atmosphere, I get the Alligator bites every time and would recommend them to everyone. I usually get a daily special and every meal is made to perfection. On top of wonderful appetizers and entrees, the best way to top it off is with their strawberries and cream. I can not even put into words how wonderful they are, but if you’re a little lad that loves berries and cream you have to try cactus tavernas!!

First time here ,won't be the last! As soon as we walked through the door we were greeted and got a table fairly fast. Service was fast and food was delicious. The waitress asked if we wanted to hear the specials. I got the chicken with a cream sauce topped with scallops and shrimp, it also came with mashed potatoes and string beans. My husband got the steak topped with crab meat . He enjoyed his as well!

Affordable, fresh, delicious and diversified!

The staff was very friendly and accommodating of our large group. The food was absolutely amazing and they ended our meal with a complimentary tasting of Port wine. The waitresses were very patient (even when having to refill a lot of Shirley temples!). We would definitely come back the next time we are in the area. Thank you to the staff for putting up with us and for the wonderful food!

Probably more like 3 - 3 1/2. The service was very good, but my Paella was way too dry. Chicken was dried out, calamari was rubbery and the shrimp wete over cooked. Like everything was reheated over and over again.It was salvaged by Karen's chicken florentine 4.2 on that one.

We had the paella. It wasn't authentic with the rice sitting in lots of liquid. I could tell it wouldn't be great because it came out of the kitchen so far. Typically, it is baked where the rice sticks to the bottom a bit and isn't overpowered with cumin. Service was excellent though.

Its Great if you love seafood. Very nice

Delicious food and outstanding service! Everyone was super friendly!

Excellent service and menu was awesome

Amazing, long-standing restaurant. Mostly Mediterranean and Middle-Eastern cuisine but also some French and South American dishes, so really you can find anything for anyone here. Great service always. The owner is a great guy.