Fajitas
Chicken fajitas are a long-running favourite, with one regular returning for them since 2018.
Cactus Jacks Latino Restaurant And Bar
Al Garhoud
Cactus Jacks is a Mexican and Latin American restaurant-bar in Al Garhoud, with indoor and outdoor seating, cocktails and shisha. Reviews point to its chicken fajitas, generous sharing platters and evening live music as the main reasons to consider it for a relaxed meal or night out.
Reputation Score
4.3
★★★★☆
737 ratings
Source: Google Maps
The Good Stuff
Authentic Flavour
A reviewer who worked in Mexico praised the chicken enchiladas, refried beans and rice as genuinely well-seasoned.
Outdoor Terrace
The open-air terrace includes a large garden view and pool setting, with space for groups and family visits.
Family Friendly
Reviews mention children enjoying the atmosphere, kids' dishes and live entertainment.
Happy Hour
Happy hour is described as affordable, and one family received a buy-one-get-one-free cocktail offer.
Large Portions
Several reviews describe generous servings, including a starter platter said to be enough for two people.
What to Eat at Cactus Jacks Latino Restaurant And Bar How we choose these items We use AI to find praise and criticism of specific foods and drinks in a selection of Google reviews. For Cactus Jacks Latino Restaurant And Bar, this list is based on 50 reviews, not every review of the restaurant. The score is positive reviews minus negative reviews. For example, two positive reviews and one negative review give +1. Each review counts once per item; neutral comments do not change the score. A zero score is not a positive recommendation. “Only neutral feedback” means there are no positive or negative votes. “Mixed feedback” means equal numbers of positive and negative votes. The quotes are examples of what people said, not every comment we counted. We use different reviews where we can. We normally show up to 10 foods and 5 drinks with non-negative scores. Items with the same score stay together. If a tied group would go past the limit, that group and the lower non-negative scores go into Honorable mentions. If an overflowing positive top tie would leave the list empty, we show up to 10 items from that tie and keep the rest in Honorable mentions. Foods and drinks with a negative score are under What to Avoid. Use this as a guide to what reviewers liked, not a guarantee that you will like it too.
These items at Cactus Jacks Latino Restaurant And Bar got the most positive mentions in user reviews. Check them out!
Food 10
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Cactus jacks fiesta platter Net +1
“A. Cactus Jacks Fiesta platter - so this one platter had everything. Jalapeños and cheese nachos, calamari Fritos, veggie quesadilla, beef Taquitos and chicken wings. Served with guacamole and sour cream. Was really good.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“A. Cactus Jacks Fiesta platter - so this one platter had everything. Jalapeños and cheese nachos, calamari Fritos, veggie quesadilla, beef Taquitos and chicken wings. Served with guacamole and sour cream. Was really good.”May 2018
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Chato de pollo Net +1
“We had Chato de Pollo (comes with little bowl of rice on a side) and Vegetarian Fajita.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“We had Chato de Pollo (comes with little bowl of rice on a side) and Vegetarian Fajita.”September 2020
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Chicken fajitas Net +1
“Their chicken fajitas is a must-try.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Their chicken fajitas is a must-try.”February 2022
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Chicken wings Net +1
“Got the chicken wings and they were absolutely delicious. If you have a sweet tooth, the chocolate brownie with the ice cream is very tasty. Also, love the ambience and the big screen to watch tv!”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Got the chicken wings and they were absolutely delicious. If you have a sweet tooth, the chocolate brownie with the ice cream is very tasty. Also, love the ambience and the big screen to watch tv!”November 2025
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Chips and salsa Net +1
“The food was acceptable le the chips and salsa were good while the fried peppers were commercial quality, the steak tacos were very good, and the salsa and rice was a satisfying dish.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“The food was acceptable le the chips and salsa were good while the fried peppers were commercial quality, the steak tacos were very good, and the salsa and rice was a satisfying dish.”August 2023
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Chocolate brownie with the ice cream Net +1
“Got the chicken wings and they were absolutely delicious. If you have a sweet tooth, the chocolate brownie with the ice cream is very tasty. Also, love the ambience and the big screen to watch tv!”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Got the chicken wings and they were absolutely delicious. If you have a sweet tooth, the chocolate brownie with the ice cream is very tasty. Also, love the ambience and the big screen to watch tv!”November 2025
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Fajitas Net +1
“We weren't disappointed. Their fajitas and nachos were tasty. We will be back sure!”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“We weren't disappointed. Their fajitas and nachos were tasty. We will be back sure!”November 2023
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Fiesta platter Net +1
“I had a fiesta platter at Cactus Jacks restaurant which was recommended by Manager Phillo, it was very testy.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“I had a fiesta platter at Cactus Jacks restaurant which was recommended by Manager Phillo, it was very testy.”August 2025
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Jambalaya Net +1
“Requested less rice and more veggies in the Jambalaya and totally loved it.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Requested less rice and more veggies in the Jambalaya and totally loved it.”October 2023
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Margheritas Net +1
“The Margheritas are to die for... We loved it...”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“The Margheritas are to die for... We loved it...”July 2022
Honorable mentions (10)
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Nachos Net +1
“We weren't disappointed. Their fajitas and nachos were tasty. We will be back sure!”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“We weren't disappointed. Their fajitas and nachos were tasty. We will be back sure!”November 2023
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Nachos with spicy cheese dips Net +1
“Nachos with spicy cheese dips was perfect but a bit too much of cheese sauce for a plate of nachos.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Nachos with spicy cheese dips was perfect but a bit too much of cheese sauce for a plate of nachos.”October 2023
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Pork ribs Net +1
“Huge portion of pork ribs is always superb!”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Huge portion of pork ribs is always superb!”February 2020
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Rib eye steak Net +1
“I had dinner with my family at Cactus Jack's Restaurant, the food is amazing. I had Rib Eye Steak paiired with Rrd wine which was recommended by Manager Phillo, promise me her recommendation was super perfect.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“I had dinner with my family at Cactus Jack's Restaurant, the food is amazing. I had Rib Eye Steak paiired with Rrd wine which was recommended by Manager Phillo, promise me her recommendation was super perfect.”September 2025
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Salmon ceviche Net +1
“Food was nice, their salmon ceviche was pretty decent. We also had the appetizer platter to share. The restaurant could use a lot of renovation as the last time I’ve been here was around 8 years ago and the tables and interior was exactly the same. a bit dark and sad. Outdoor seating is way better. Other than that everything else was pretty good :)”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Food was nice, their salmon ceviche was pretty decent. We also had the appetizer platter to share. The restaurant could use a lot of renovation as the last time I’ve been here was around 8 years ago and the tables and interior was exactly the same. a bit dark and sad. Outdoor seating is way better. Other than that everything else was pretty good :)”December 2023
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Salsa and rice Net +1
“The food was acceptable le the chips and salsa were good while the fried peppers were commercial quality, the steak tacos were very good, and the salsa and rice was a satisfying dish.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“The food was acceptable le the chips and salsa were good while the fried peppers were commercial quality, the steak tacos were very good, and the salsa and rice was a satisfying dish.”August 2023
-
Seafood enchiladas Net +1
“Visited after a few years and ordered the seafood enchiladas, which is no longer on the menu. WOW! Excellent food, and wonderful service by Ravender.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Visited after a few years and ordered the seafood enchiladas, which is no longer on the menu. WOW! Excellent food, and wonderful service by Ravender.”April 2025
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Steak tacos Net +1
“The food was acceptable le the chips and salsa were good while the fried peppers were commercial quality, the steak tacos were very good, and the salsa and rice was a satisfying dish.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“The food was acceptable le the chips and salsa were good while the fried peppers were commercial quality, the steak tacos were very good, and the salsa and rice was a satisfying dish.”August 2023
-
Vegetarian fajita Net +1
“We had Chato de Pollo (comes with little bowl of rice on a side) and Vegetarian Fajita. For the Fajita they offered sides like rice, beans, guacamole etc, and it was tasty!”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“We had Chato de Pollo (comes with little bowl of rice on a side) and Vegetarian Fajita. For the Fajita they offered sides like rice, beans, guacamole etc, and it was tasty!”September 2020
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Vegetarian platter Net +1
“After longtime had good Mexican food. There vegetarian platter was good. The service was a bit slow. The sizzling chocolate fudge needs to be a bit less sweet.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“After longtime had good Mexican food. There vegetarian platter was good. The service was a bit slow. The sizzling chocolate fudge needs to be a bit less sweet.”July 2025
Drinks 1
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Draft beer Net +1
“A good place with fresh draft beer and Mexican cuisine. I recommend you to visit!”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“A good place with fresh draft beer and Mexican cuisine. I recommend you to visit!”October 2024
What to Avoid (3)
Food 3
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Fried peppers Net −1
“The food was acceptable le the chips and salsa were good while the fried peppers were commercial quality, the steak tacos were very good, and the salsa and rice was a satisfying dish.”
Positive 0Negative 1
Critical review excerpts
“The food was acceptable le the chips and salsa were good while the fried peppers were commercial quality, the steak tacos were very good, and the salsa and rice was a satisfying dish.”August 2023
-
Nacho chips Net −1
“nacho chips were all broken and no free upgrade of chips ..we have kids and they munch on it we have always got a free refill but this time we were asked to pay 30 aed just for nacho chips”
Positive 0Negative 1
Critical review excerpts
“nacho chips were all broken and no free upgrade of chips ..we have kids and they munch on it we have always got a free refill but this time we were asked to pay 30 aed just for nacho chips”June 2025
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Sizzling chocolate fudge Net −1
“After longtime had good Mexican food. There vegetarian platter was good. The service was a bit slow. The sizzling chocolate fudge needs to be a bit less sweet.”
Positive 0Negative 1
Critical review excerpts
“After longtime had good Mexican food. There vegetarian platter was good. The service was a bit slow. The sizzling chocolate fudge needs to be a bit less sweet.”July 2025
Tips for a Better Visit
Book Ahead. Reserve a table if you are visiting in the evening or with a group, as one review specifically advises booking in advance.
Try Evenings. For a livelier atmosphere, consider an evening visit; a review says live music and DJ sets start from 9pm.
Choose Outdoors. The outdoor area is repeatedly preferred, especially in cooler weather, while the indoor space can feel dated and dark.
Check Extras. Ask about complimentary chips and refills before ordering, since one diner was charged AED 30 for nachos.
Check Availability. Confirm older favourites before visiting: seafood enchiladas were no longer on the menu in one review.
Plan the visit
Practical details
Airport Road,, Casablanca Street,
Al Garhoud, Dubai
| Mon | Closed |
| Tue | Closed |
| Wed | Closed |
| Thu | 1:00 PM – 3:00 AM |
| Fri | 1:00 PM – 3:00 AM |
| Sat | 1:00 PM – 3:00 AM |
| Sun | Closed |
Common Concerns
Slow Service
Service can drag during quieter visits: one table waited almost 45 minutes for food despite few other diners.
Aging Interior
Some diners find the indoor furniture and decor dated, dark or poorly maintained.
Extra Nacho Fee
A returning customer was charged AED 30 for nacho chips after previously receiving refills.
Music Changes
The atmosphere varies: one visit lacked music, while other reviews found live music too noisy or poorly selected.
Tip Pressure
One customer disliked being asked at payment how much tip they wanted to pay.
DXB
LOCAL
LOCAL
The Bottom Line
Cactus Jacks is a Mexican restaurant and bar in Al Garhoud, located within the Millennium Airport Hotel. It suits a casual dinner, family meal or drinks-led night out, with dishes such as chicken fajitas, enchiladas, nachos and generous sharing platters. Several diners also mention cocktails, draft beer and shisha.
The food is the strongest reason to visit. Chicken fajitas have brought one reviewer back since 2018, while a diner with ten years of work experience in Mexico praised the chicken enchiladas, refried beans and rice. The Cactus Jacks Fiesta platter combines items such as nachos, calamari, quesadilla, taquitos and wings for sharing.
Vegetarian choices are available, although one review found the menu more meat-oriented. The outdoor terrace is a recurring highlight, with a garden and pool view and room for groups. Evening visits can be more energetic, with live music and DJ sets mentioned from 9pm; daytime reviews describe the restaurant as quiet or nearly empty.
Families are welcome, but the indoor furniture and decor can look dated, and service has occasionally been slow. Book ahead for busy evenings, and ask about chip refills or extras before ordering: one customer reported paying AED 30 for nacho chips.