The Velvet Cactus

The Velvet Cactus on Harrison Avenue is a must-visit if you’re in the Lakeview area. I had the street tacos. Really good. The tamales were equally good and tasty! Queso and chips were fresh and the charred salsa was unique, as I’ve never had salsa prepared that way. The service was great! Everyone from the hosts to waitstaff were very friendly, attentive, and genuinely welcoming. The atmosphere is cozy and energetic, with colorful decor and a relaxed vibe that makes it easy to settle in and enjoy. I highly recommend The Velvet Cactus for casual dinner or meeting friends for drinks and small plates.

It’s really late on this review from last week so sorry I can remember the waiters name. My partner and I wanted to try the tortilla soup and the protein bowl. Felt like the the soup tasted more abit like chili with the seasoning, my partner didn’t like the plantains even though she really loves them in general (I honestly thought they were pretty drier than sweeter taste, the side of beans with queso was fantastic, the the bowl the rice was okay and the filet steak was abit chewy for my palette. Over all the presentation was great and the place has a phenomenal vibe. I’m gonna have to come back and give the steak another try I saw their steak fajitas after I had already put in my order. And our waiter was amazing he was friendly and open and enthusiastic. Helped me decided with the creamy jalapeño sauce and the other habanero sauce. I remember commenting about his bottled earrings. I highly recommend the margaritas. I had the Mango marg with salt and the strawberry marg with sugar.

Absolutely recommend. Ate here for the 1st time ever & was not disappointed in the least. The food was a 10/10 & customer service was superb 👌. The strawberry margaritas were without a doubt the best I've ever tasted. Phenomenal quality & highly recommend. Definitely worth the experience.

Food, service, and staff were all excellent. Sad they did away with the warmed salsa. So much so, I asked our waitress just to heat me up some in the microwave, and she kindly obliged. Our adult beverages were great. Even after requesting something not on their drink menu, the bar staff pulled it off effortlessly. We'll definitely continue to fancy the Velvet Cactus. Maybe one day, they'll turn the pot warmers back on.

Just left here. The margaritas were a 10 out of 10. The food was a 3 out of 10. The brisket was not brisket more like shredded beef. The chicken was rotisserie chicken. The enchiladas were tacos with cheese on top. The view was beautiful and there was a nice vibe. The service was perfect. The crab boil dip tasted just like rotel with crawfish. This place is def over hyped.

Good atmosphere, nice outdoor seating. Great frozen margaritas and delicious Fajitas.

The atmosphere of this local Mexican restaurant is absolutely amazing. It is matched only by its diverse food options and wonderful wait staff. Not many people associate Mexican food with New Orleans, but this will give you a whole new perspective of what can be done within that cuisine. We went right after Sneaux-pocolypse 2025 and it was quite busy. Not as busy I would guess on a warm night. There is inside seating with artwork from local artist you can buy and ample places to sit outside to enjoy the weather when it in not a once in a lifetime artic blast ,😊

We tried this place with my parents for the first time while visiting them. Maybe I have lived in San Antonio, TX, too long because I honestly did not care for the food. I ordered the pork tacos, thinking it was going to be like pork carnitas. Nope, I was wrong. It was more the stewed pulled pork, and I did NOT like the gravy it was in. I had to add like 5 wedges of lime to just get one of the two tacos down. The yellow rice was awful. I can't even describe the flavor, but it definitely was not Mexican yellow rice. The black beans were okay. Again, I've had way better. We had a group of like 15 and everyone except my husband, and I seemed to enjoy their food. The service was great, even with our large group. The atmosphere is amazing and if you like margaritas, they make a really good one. I think the margarita and sitting outside was the best part.

Very popular spot near me. Not the most authentic and best Mexican in nola, but some items are very good and they can take large parties. The service is typically very accommodating and quick. They can get a line so wait times are to be expected. It's beautifully decorated, outdoor and indoor seating, as well as fun outdoor hangout area with outdoor games (not pictured.) The chicken enchilada I had came in good portions for price and tasted pretty good. Could have been a little more flavorful. My friend got the chicken fajita and that was very delicious, also good portions. The queso is great, and salsa and chips came with the meal. I'm not a drinker but I do hear they have some great drinks too. Overall, 4 stars for quick and attentive service and big portions for price.

How have I not reviewed The Velvet Cactus yet? I eat here at least once every two months! Ok, my fault. I started coming to this place before the pandemic. It has remained remarkably consistent and I have always enjoyed it. The wait staff is always very friendly, although they seem to have a good deal of turnover. I have always had good service though, no matter what. One of my favorite things about the Velvet Cactus is that they serve their salsa warm. I don't know what it is about warm salsa but it just tastes better that way! We usually have an order of the queso with Molida beef, although we didn't get that tonight (trying to at least pretend to be keeping up with resolutions). Instead we went straight for the entrees. I'm sure a huge portion of the menu is great, but I can't seem to order anything other than the Big Burrito. It's filled with proteins, rice, and all sorts of deliciousness, and if I have perfection, why try something else? Ok, the truth is I've sampled some of the other dishes and they all have been terrific, I just really like the burrito. I have a couple of observations about the bar. First, their drink service used to be very slow. However, it's improved every time Ive been here, and now it's very fast, and I mention it only because it's very good now. The second thing is that I'm not a huge fan of their margaritas. It's 100% personal taste, but something about their recipe doesn't work for me. Lots of people I have talked to heartily disagree with me and really enjoy them. Again, it's personal taste, so I stick to their beers and everyone is happy!

Velvet Cactus is the most unique Mexican gem in the city! The ambiance of this place is unbeatable, with excellent indoor and outdoor seating. A great place to dress up for a girls night, or dress down for a casual dinner. Especially during the Christmas season, they offer bubble tents and transform the place into a winter wonderland. Everything I have tried here has been great! But my all time favorites are the salsa and the cheese grits. I crave both of them! I recommend getting the taco plates. They are super yummy with a better portion. Most of the plates they offer are big portions so I normally have a lot to take home. They also have yummy margaritas with a great happy hour! The service is great too with very nice and thoughtful servers. Our server came to check on us and refilled anything we needed. Love love love!!

Service was poor and the food wasn't anything to brag about ! Over priced IMHO for the quality! Ambiance is great and it's well decorate, but that's about it! Sorry I'm so hard on ya'll, but poor is poor!

This is a great place to hang out with your friends and family. The service was very good. Our server was friendly and attentive. I love the fried fish taco and steak taco. Plantains and Brussels were tasty. My son loved playing connect four. I wish that they still had ceviche on the menu!

This is by far the most overrated Mexican restaurant in New Orleans. Food is beyond mediocre and there are so many better options in the city. Service was good which is why I left two stars but the drinks and food were absolutely awful.

I ordered chicken Enchiladas Togo. You get to pick your cream sauce to top them. And mine came absolutely dry with no sauce. Just melted cheese on top--that was cold by the time I got it. And no cream sauce. I'm confused. Quite disappointed. I tried to call to at least speak with someone but their number went straight to voicemail so I'm left to leave a review. Sad this was my first experience with their restaurant.

We had Tonya H and all I suggest is she check on her tables more often. Food was excellent.

Neither the food nor drinks were what I expected. The specialty drink I had tasted watered down and this wasn't the best tex-mex (Mexican) food. On the other hand, the wait staff was very attentive and helpful.

I use to love Velvet Cactus it seems like it has feel off over the years. The drinks and food use to me really good but now it's mid. Drink are really strong unless it's Cinco De Mayo. I had a taco salad recently it it's the worst taco salad I've ever had. The used the heart of lettuce with big chucks that was hard to cut into and eat, the amount of guacamole was overpowering to the point I have to remove half to even try to enjoy it. I ended up just eating the shrimp. The service is good though.

Loved this place! Unique charm and ambiance. Food was amazing. Staff was friendly and helpful.

Tanya was an amazing server ! Our food was good as well as the sangria margarita! Tanya was beautiful and had a great attitude!

This place is so beautiful like a jungle oasis at the beginning of Harrison coming from the park. They have a happy hour that offers 2 for 1 margaritas frozen and house and I was happy with the strawberry frozen set I got for $12.95.

This place is such a vibe!!! Came here on our girls night and the vibes were just so cute. We came the week after Christmas and all the decorations were still up with all the heaters. Our server, Jonathan G, was the best!! He was super cool and asked us all about our night plans & if we were out for any special occasion. Drinks were good!

My sister recommended the is place and we checked out the photos on Yelp and immediately said "let's go"! Because the weather was starting to dip, we had to sit inside, but the outside area was absolutely stunning! We sat under some beautiful artwork and stated to read over the menu. I noticed a phone charging station in the table top. Very nice option! I really liked this place because they had Mexican dishes with some New Orleans twists. Since I'm a crawfish lover, I ordered the crawfish banditos as my meal. I asked the server what margarita they recommended and they said the watermelon was a top choice. It was absolutely delicious and I'm not a big watermelon fan. The food came out and my dish was ok. There wasn't much crawfish and there was a ton of the pastry. Very tasty, but not much meat. That's my reason for the 4 stars.

My first ti.e trying the Velvet Cactus. I went with some seasoned pros. The food was on point. The service was very good. Our server, knowing it was my first time, was helpful with suggestions. The ambiance was amazing. The outdoor seating, of course, would be better in the fall, and spring was truly delightful. I rate it a 10/10 and will definitely return.

We were told it would only take an hour, but it ended up taking two. Unfortunately, the communication wasn't great, and we felt the customer service was poor throughout the process. Definitely disappointing.

We came to celebrate my friend's birthday and were told we'd be seated within an hour. After waiting for two hours, we were informed that they wouldn't be able to seat us at all. In the meantime, we spent over $300 at their bar on drinks.

I've been dining at Velvet Cactus for years. Sometimes the service for drink or chip refills can be a little slow but that's completely understandable with how busy they get. Regardless, the food itself always comes out fast, in my experience. It can get a bit loud sometimes, so heads up to people looking for a quiet spot. They have plenty of patio seating, complete with blankets and heaters for the few chilly days we may have down here. Overall, great place to grab a bite to eat!

Great place to hangout outside and get drinks with friends. Their atmosphere is my favorite part. Food, on the other hand, isn't anything you can't find elsewhere.

I've received 10/10 service here every time. I even celebrated my birthday here and they gave me a free desert!! The happy hour is a great deal (2 for 1 rocks or frozen cactus margs!) I personally like the enchiladas (brisket enchiladas w cheese.) The small queso is actually quite large so that's a huge plus! They don't skimp you in the salsa either! The drinks are also decently strong. In a good way! My friend did not like her taco salad, but I think she was expecting something different. The chicken was not shredded and the salad was more fresh than some of your other typical Mexican restaurants. So, it is really what you prefer when it comes to the taco salad. Another dish that I expected to be different was the smothered tamales. I think I would've enjoyed the regular tamales that were not smothered and maybe had a side of sour cream or used some of the leftover queso. It was almost too much sauce on the smothered tamales, but again that is not what I was expecting. So, in their defense - the word smothered is very accurate! Lol. I also really enjoy the outside area. I want to come for a drink once it gets warmer, and sit in the chairs.

I went with a group for dinner. It took forever for us to be seated even though there was no line of people to be seated. Once we were finally seated, the server was great. The food was okay. It did not meet the hype that i had been told. I had 2 tacos with some rice and sweet plantains. It was just okay.

To start, what I liked here is how great it is decorated and the beautiful outdoor area. My waitress was very helpful, friendly, and extremely accommodating. The Mango Mojito was delicious and packs a punch, I only needed one. I absolutely disliked the food here. I ordered the Beef El Big Burrito with light rice and it had no seasoning whatsoever. The taste was very bland, even with green chili added. My waitress took it back and put in an order for the Beef Brisket El Big Burrito. It came out with extra rice and no sauce on top. It was absolutely bland with no taste at all, even when adding green chili and hot sauce. I felt bad too say anything about it but my money was at stake here and I still needed dinner. I confessed that it was not good, and my waitress recommended the Baja Quesadilla. She brought it out and, though it was better than the burritos, it still lacked a fully enjoyable flavor. The bottom line is that this place does not season their food accordingly. The food here is very bland. Come for the drinks and that's it, and come with another person or a group. They are not accommodating to people dining or having a drink alone. The bar area is extremely cramped with little to no seating, so this leaves you to dining alone and only having your waitress to talk with.

The atmosphere is very unique and eclectic. We always stop here on the way into NOLA because my family lovesssss this place. The decorations and artwork is truly something else. The salsa is warmed and great. The chips were okay. We ordered the pork nachos and they were amazing!! The cheese dip is great, the guacamole is also great. It comes with pickled jalapeños on top. And there is a fire roasted corn and bean salsa on there. Would definitely get these again!

This restaurant has great relax and fun ambiance from the art work all over the walls to the garage doors opening to make the outdoor and indoor seating one. The food is very good! The flavors are a lot different from most Mexican restaurants in Louisiana which makes this a fun place to try. The service is very helpful and kind. The only downside is parking, but I wouldn't expect anything else from a New Orleans restaurant. If you want a fun atmosphere and good food, then you should definitely give this one a try.

Kept it simple this visit with just chips, salsa, queso with a frozen margarita. Been to Velvet Cactus several times and always enjoy myself - Food and drinks are always on point. The staff is always super friendly and of course, the restaurant itself is super cute with the patio.

Great service and awesome atmosphere. Food on the other hand. We'll let say I've had better. Enchilada chicken w/tamale looked like it was sitting out for a while. Not fresh as I would have liked. Tamale was better but it had this brown gravy on it. It could done without that.

First time here and it was pretty good! We ate inside due to the weather. Food was decent and service was amazing.

I really like the atmosphere in this restaurant. But I found sitting situation to be very frustrating. I went to a host asking for a table for 7. She took my name and number and said that she can't sit us until everyone arrives ( 3 of us were already there). I went back to her a few minutes later saying, 6 of us were there and we need a table. To which she replied - all 7 ppl should come to her and then she can sit us. All 6 of us went to her and she said she didn't have a table, that's why she couldn't sit us. But in a minute or 2 we had a table. I don't know what it was all about. Did she really need to see all of us? I also called them earlier trying to make a reservation, which they didn't accept. But we had a really sweet server Jonathan. He made sure we all had our drinks, food and he was very attentive, but not intrusive. Food portions are big, especially the family meals. Parking can be challenging, but if you don't mind walking, you can find space on the side streets.

An amazing place! A one of a kind rather bizarre restaurant second to none. Sometimes rather noisy but it fits well with the place. Food unique which blends well with the decor!

Ok getting better. Service is great and it is lively. And, you really can't expect too much from family friendly Tex mex.

Great food, drinks, atmosphere and service! This is my first time here. It won't be my last! Get the top shelf frozen margarita; you won't be disappointed. Most plates will serve two people.

I feel like this place has had better days, but we were seated quickly (we arrived when they first opened) and our server was very nice. I ordered a taco and the chicken tortilla soup which was very filling. A casual sit down with moderately priced food and drinks.

Came here with my friend for lunch after the Botanic Gardens. We each got a margarita and they were delicious. I got the combination enchiladas - pork, chicken, and shrimp, which came absolutely SMOTHERED in cheese. I think the pork was my favorite, but all of them were amazing. My friend got the Mayan Quesadilla and said it was super good. Everything was served on Fiestaware, which I love to see at a Mexican restaurant. We sat outside on the patio, which was a super nice space. We were seating by this big fountain and the whole vibe of the place was super nice. Out waitress was quick and attentive. Overall, this was a really nice place and I would definitely go back.

Great atmosphere. Delicious chips and salsa. Their fajitas are never a miss...always so good!

We went here after a visit to the zoo today. We chose to sit outside and eat with our children. They had a play area to keep the kids entertained until our food arrived. The service was great and our waitress was very attentive. Our food was the best Mexican food we have had in a while. We will be back!

Go to dinner spot for a girls night. Margaritas are top notch & the nachos are our fave! Food always comes out quickly & waiter are so nice. Sometimes we have to bring the kiddos & the restaurant is definitely kid friendly.

Superb meal. Super service from Sharon. Superb experience. Long story long... I hadn't left the house all week except to go to the gym so I needed a solo outting. I couldn't decide what I wanted to eat or where to go. I used one of my techniques for finding places.... Just drive in a general direction and see where it takes me. Well that led me to Velvet cactus. I've been here for drinks and I've had food to go but I've never dined in. Today I decided to change that. There's lots of seating indoors and outdoors. They have an amazing courtyard with more seating and games. It's a great place to hang out with friends, solo, with kids or a date night. I know I wanted good food and a strong delicious drink. Velvet Cactus has great margaritas but I couldn't decide. Well my waitress Sharon helped with that. I asked for her suggestions and she said her favorites were "The Grand" and "Don Julio Cadillac" Margaritas. Sharon brought out a sample of each to help me decide! I went THE DON. She also suggested adding diced strawberries and jalapenos. I agreed. This margarita was sensational. I ordered the Chef'f taco plate: Crawfish po-boy tacos with sweet plantains and Mexican street corn. Everything was good. I was definitely satisfied and I got a second margarita to-go.

We eat at Velvet Cactus a few times a year and love it everytime we do! We had the Cabo quesadilla and it was delicious! Also do yourself a favor and get the cheese grits! Service was wonderful too!

This place... I cannot say enough good things about it! The food, the people, the attention to detail, the encouragement to live and act like a. Kid again.. did I mention the food? This is one of those places that I take everyone to if we're near New Orleans or metarie. Absolute must for anyone. Adult and kid friendly:)

Tried multiple types of tacos which were all delicious, margaritas were tasty and strong, chips and queso excellent. Nice ambiance on the patio, our server was great

Went for dinner on 6/10/24. Our server was Audrey and she was exceptional! Our food was completely enjoyable, the ambiance was fun and funky. This was our first time visiting, it will not be our last. We had no preconceptions going in, and really didn't look at reviews - we were just looking for a good Mexican option. For our family, this fit the bill well. Food portions are generous and the food was delicious. Audrey was attentive all night, refilling before we asked. We waited for nothing - yes, it was a slower evening and I'm sure that was part of it, but it's also part of why this place gets a great review!

Loved this place!!!! What an amazing find! Super cool vibe, great music playing, incredible atmosphere and great staff! The food is amazing!! They have fresh chips and salsa as soon as you are seated and some incredible and delicious cocktails. The food is amazing, I had the Mayan quesadilla and my date had the combo enchiladas! The taste was perfect and Peyton our server was great! We got the churros for dessert and they came with fresh whipped cream and chocolate sauce to dip in! Super cool find!!!

I've come here a few times. The crawfish queso is delicious! I'd get that over and over again. So good! Their tres leches cake is heavenly! Definitely did my happy dance while eating it. Their other food has so far been hit or miss for me. But they have an extensive drink menu. It's a fun place to bring friends

I really like all the decorations and atmosphere Different little conversation sections Some are cabana style with drapes Evening lights everywhere makes it look very pretty Real trees so be careful there were a lot of acorns all over the place The food was great The guacamole dip was a little too spicy for me though The appetizer crawfish bandito was very good and super filling Since we were outside an acorn dropped in my dish. It was funny and it was very easy to remove. But you do need to be aware it is outdoor dinning but you can also be seated inside if you like It really is a very nice place to have dinner. Now if only I can design my backyard to look like this Yes you can have separate checks

It had been a few years since my last trip here and my SO had never been so we ended up here for lunch on a rainy Saturday. I got a grande margarita which was nice and strong. The complimentary chips and salsa came with a nice salsa that had a little bit of spice to it. My actual tacos and sides are where I was a little let down. For my tacos I chose the Velvet Steak Taco and a fried crawfish special with black beans and Mexican street corn as my sides. The tacos were drowning in their respective sauces completely overpowering the proteins. The black beans were pretty bland and needed a healthy dose of hot sauce. I was looking forward to the Mexican street corn but the topping was kinda greasy and didn't have any cheese sprinkled on top as is typical with elote.

Amazing! The waitress was so nice and the enchiladas were to die for. Would totally come back here again. Also a really cool atmosphere and outdoor seating.

Great service and delicious food. A fun place with nice outdoor seating. Parking can be a bit tight, but that's with any place in this area. Love that the wait staff was dressed for Halloween! Vegan options available and they were delish. Veggie tacos made with portobello were flavorful. As were drinks. Definitely recommend!

Sadly updating to say I don't go here anymore because the last few times the food wasn't great :(