Iron Cactus Mexican Restaurant and Margarita Bar

Absolute solid margaritas here, we stopped in for a couple rounds to celebrate National Margarita Day and escape the rain on the riverwalk. The chips and salsa were the perfect snack. We ate before, so we didn't get food but everything looked amazing that came out of the kitchen.Be warned though that they have timeshare marketers right near their entrance, so just keep walking and don't get conned into paying $50 to go to a presentation at a hotel :)

Went Monday afternoon with my son who was about to ship off to Boot Camp-- his request was Iron Cactus for his "last queso for a while!" He got the brisket queso, which was so tasty, I decided to get the brisket quesadilla. It was the perfect amount of food for my appetite at the time, since we live out of town & I didn't have a way to take leftovers. There was the right brisket ratio in each bite! Very satisfying! The assistant manager got my husband a freshly brewed cup of coffee, which was appreciated and helped us get through our road trip. Nice lunch!

Stopped by Iron Cactus on a recent work trip, looking for a quick and easy meal. It's right on the Riverwalk, which is a great location, but the restaurant itself is a bit cramped and noisy. We opted to sit in the bar to avoid a wait for a table in the main dining area. This turned out to be a bit of a mixed bag.We ended up in the bar area, and service was slow to start - took a while for someone to take our order. We were seated at a high-top table near the bar, and it was pretty packed. It was definitely loud, with a lot of conversations and music going on. Once we ordered, though, the food came out promptly, and it was colorful and looked good. My coworker opted for tacos, and I went with one of their house plates. We also split some brisket queso, which was actually quite tasty - definitely a highlight. Portions were generous, but the prices were definitely on the high side, which is probably expected given the touristy location. The patio and tables near the windows have excellent views of the Riverwalk and are prime for people-watching, which is a definite bonus. However, the way they have the hostess stand set up can cause a bit of a bottleneck. Waiting for a table can cause the line to back up onto the sidewalk, making it a bit of an obstacle course for folks walking by - they're either dodging around you or inadvertently walking through the line.The food was decent, standard Tex-Mex fare. The beer was cold, which is good. We saw the margaritas, and they were huge. The interior is nicely done and fits the Riverwalk vibe.Overall, Iron Cactus is a decent option if you're already on the Riverwalk and looking for a convenient meal. It's not something I'd specifically crave or seek out on my next visit, but it was a solid experience.

I was really not impressed with this place and shocked by all the good reviews. The service was completely lacking. Our chips and salsa were forgotten about until we asked another server. Nothing was really checked on. All that wouldn't have been a big deal, but the food was just not good. The chips were stale. The salsa tasted like tomato puree out of a can. The jalepeno appetizer had basically no crab filling and were small and tasteless. The meatloaf was fine, but the sauce again was just tomatoes with no flavor. The corn side had too much mayo. I definitely would not recommend or return. And the prices were high for what we got. Disappointed because I was excited to try to this place.

The skirt steak fajitas for 2 were so tender and flavorful. It almost was like a steak butter. It was so good! It had plenty for 2 and we had a 3rd person eat mainly the grilled vegetables and sides that came with the fajitas.For a Saturday evening we really lucked out and got seats outdoors to enjoy the River walk right away with no wait. As soon as we got seated the crowds were rolling in so I can tell it gets super busy but there is plenty of seats inside however everyone prefers to be outside which I don't blame them and the weather was perfect.Service was amazing! She stayed on top of drinks and had great suggestions.I would definitely come back and next time take them up on their special tequila drinks since that's one of the big things they're known for.It was a bonus that we got to see the beautiful Christmas lights still displayed too.

I don't like giving such a low score, but it just wasn't good. You are paying for the ambiance, and convenience. I was hungry and my hotel was a three minute walk away. The service was pretty average, and I ordered the blackened fish tacos and a Paloma with tajin on the rim. The drink was pretty good. The tacos were bad. There was some kind of seasoning on the fish, you could see it, but like a lot of other reviewers said, it was completely bland. You couldn't taste ANY seasoning, definitely not blackened. It was also completely overcooked. It was like chewing on a balloon. The rice was overcooked and mushy. The salsa barely had any spice. They put a ton of cabbage on there, but very little sauce. Once again, I should have checked yelp before I made a decision.

My friend and I visited here for her birthday, and we had a really great experience. We had great, attentive service with a friendly server who made tableside guac to perfection. And there was so much of it! We were able to make a meal out of queso, guac, and chips between the two of us. We also really enjoyed the cocktails. The Mexican martini was really really excellent - highly recommended. We had a lovely table right on the sidewalk with a lovely view of the Riverwalk. It was a pleasant lunch experience all around.

Ya'll I must be in a good mood. Another 5 from me. Four is an understatement and I can't give a 4.5. Me and a colleague dined here on the last night of our conference. Sadly we missed happy hour but the sheer amount of food before our main course made up for it. Shout out to the mystery guy who gave us a free queso coupon. He was posted up at a booth not too far from the entrance. The salsas were a step up from the average Mexican restaurant. One was even warm in temperature so good! I ordered a pork chop. Yes. Let that sink in. A pork chop! I am a pork chop afficionado and the way our servers face lit up when I asked about it totally sold me. As you can see in the photo it was stuffed stuffed. I'd get this dish again. Well season and all the Mexican flavors came through. I was stuffed after finished this. My colleague got the chicken fajitas. She had no complaints. Everything seems to be on the river walk. We ended up here because it had one of the better reviews for table side guac. There is a well known place renowned for their table side guac and we'd already eaten there. Just putting it out there for those thinking of telling me to go there. Baby, Iron Cactus had some pretty darn good guac too. Do yourself a favor and make the trip.

One of the earliest stops on the riverwalk (coming from the non-touristy section) makes it so you have to go no farther for good food. Consider Iron Cactus to be upscale Tex-mex, and you have a good idea of the menu. The selection is more limited than a typical Tex-mex joint, but Iron Cactus makes up for it with effort. Each dish we had was good, including the fresh guacamole. They really know how to balance their ingredients! I'll note that the meatloaf is good, though a bit spicy throughout. Another great feature of the restaurant is that it's separated from the main sidewalk and river by a low wall. That keeps the crowds away from your meal but leaves you the view of the riverwalk.

The location and ambiance is absolutely perfect. We sat outside on the riverwalk and had a magnificent experience. The service was top notch. He was so attentive and made a killer guacamole!! He made excellent recommendations and each one was fantastic. We also loved that out was pet friendly and had our pup with us and she a taco