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Cactus Club Cafe
Category: Restaurants Canadian (New) Canadian (New) [Edit]
8882 170th Street NWUnit 1946
Edmonton, AB T5T 3J7
(780) 489-1002
- Hours:
Mon-Thu, Sun 11 am - 12 am
Fri-Sat 11 am - 1 am
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Dressy
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- Yes
- Take Away:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Loud
- Ambience:
- Classy, Trendy, Upscale
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
23 reviews for Cactus Club Cafe
Review Highlights
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"...highly recommend the butternut squash ravioli with the..." In 3 reviews -
"For the main meal, I had Rob's Hunter Chicken." In 3 reviews -
"The lounge is great -- you can easily spend your entire..." In 6 reviews
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23 reviews in English
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Review from Mary S.
Edmonton, AB
4/13/2012 1 Check-in Here
This place not only has great service and atmosphere , but it has the greatest Caesar salad in Edmonton. We had the lettuce wraps and while they were not the traditional type, they too were quite good. The washroom deserves 5 stars all on its own. Wish a few others restaurants would follow this format!!
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Review from Jonny M.
Edmonton, AB
1/7/2012
Went here with three other friends for the first time last week. To sum it up in a nutshell, I would say it's an upscale version of Earls with slightly better food. We went on New Year's Day and it was completely packed. Your not allowed to reserve but the restaurant is split into two - half for the dining area and the other half for the lounge area (which is first come, first serve seating). The wait was 30-45 minutes in the dining area so we snagged a seat in the lounge area instead.
For the food, we mainly ordered some appetizers/entrees and shared. My buddy and I split the halibut soft tacos ($14) and fried calamari ($12). Both were decent but there were only 2 tacos in total! Another friend and I split the yam fries ($8) which were pretty good but when I thought about it, $8 is pretty friggin expensive for a side order. As well, she ordered the spicy chicken ($11) which she said was good. My last friend ordered the teriyaki chicken rice bowl ($16).
All in all, the food was basically what I was expecting (nothing exciting) but it's decent for a chain restaurant. Good to take with friends who are picky eaters or that aren't to adventures when they go out and eat. Or it would be a good place to go for drinks and the eye candy. Hahaha. We were there catching up for a few hours so I can't complain as the waitress was super nice (we were there for 3 hours).
It's more of a trendy place to be seen. Nothing I would rush over to go to if your a foodie. -
Review from shawnna p.
Edmonton, AB
11/12/2011
I was happy to take my 88 year old Aunt out to lunch. It's been a while. I had no idea where I was going to go until I picked her up at her West side apartment. I just started driving and I came to the Cactus Club. They were experiencing their usual, busy lunch rush, but we were seated immediately. Our hostess was sweet and chatty. Gave us some menu tips. Our server came right away and also gave us the "specials" etc. We were well attended to without being hovered over.
I ordered the squash ravioli with grilled prawns. It looked puny, but I had trouble finishing it. I thought it was delicious with a sweet, citrusy sauce.
Aunty had the short rib sandwich au jus with sea salt fries. It was also very good. It looked small, but she could only finish half.
The brewed coffee is very, very good. I am fussy about restaurant coffee. I asked that they heat up a small pitcher of milk for Aunty's coffee. No problem.
We did not have room for dessert.
It is rather loud with chatter, but Aunty liked the food and the service. I know this because she paid!
I have been here before and I find it consistent. I would trust it again.
*I did not visit the rest rooms this time, but I remember being duly impressed. -
Review from Mike W.
Updated - 3/18/2011
Well we went again to the Cactus Club for drinks and starters in the lounge. We were thoroughly impressed again!!!
We ordered Beef Carpaccio, Tuna Tataki (2x) and the calamari. The Beef Carpaccio was very thinly sliced with capers, greens and cheese, very nice tasting. The tuna tataki was totally wow, so fresh and fabulous. The calamari was also OK with jalapenos and peppers. The dessert was a fantastic Lava Cake with ice cream and loads of chocolate...yummy The chefs recipes are awesome!!!
We had the awesome Dirty Vegas martinis again and very nice lager Vancouver Granville beer on tap.
The service was upscale and fantastic with our waitress. My future 5 stars will be gauged to the service, mixology and food quality of the Cactus Club!!
Romour is that another future Cactus Club may be opening on Jasper ave in the future. I hope so!Listed in: 5 Star - The WOW Factor, GOOD EATS, KINDA FISHY PLACES, BEERS & PUB GRUB, Mixology - Good Bartenders
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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3/12/2011
A friend and I stopped in the Cactus Club this afternoon for a couple cocktails but no food. I was… Read more »
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Review from Lauren N.
4/28/2011
Wow, gotta say I was amazed to see how many reviews there are for Cactus Club West Ed already! I think my eyebrows shot up as high as they could go.
It took us awhile to try it out; having dined at other locations in Vancouver, I wasn't expecting anything different. This new Cactus Club also reminded me of restaurants like Earl's or Joey's, with its glossy exterior and all the hype it was getting, i.e. overrated. But it seems I was too quick to judge this place by its cover.
We finally came here on account of a gift card, and I'm glad we did. While I wasn't surprised by the interior, I had to admit it was pretty nice. Sleek, dark and seductive, the architectural equivalent of chocolate. A great place for dates and girls' night out!
I had the butternut squash ravioli while my fiance had the ribs. He polished off his plate and while I sampled a few ribs myself, I liked my ravioli a lot more. The butternut filling stuffed into each ravioli is so rich and creamy, and utterly delicious. And very, very filling! I had to skip dessert because I was so full.
I'm glad Cactus Club proved my assumptions wrong in the end. Now I have another place for girls' night out go-to's! -
Review from Cathy H.
Edmonton, AB
1/30/2011
The other night I was shopping with a friend as West Edmonton Mall and we decided that the Cactus Club Cafe would be a great place to go have dinner. We got the restaurant fairly early (just before 5) and got ourselves a booth in the lounge.
One of my favorite things about this restaurant are the bathrooms. They are super clean, trendy and best of all the button to flush the toilet is on the floor so you don't have to touch the gross toilet handle.
This restaurant is the type of place you could go to several times and keep trying new items on the menu! I always have a hard time deciding what to get. I ordered the teriyaki chicken rice bowl and my friend ordered the prawn and scallop spaghettini. Both our meals were great, the entrees came with lots of food, you definitely got what you paid for. The only one problem we found with one of our meals was that my friends spaghettini only had two prawns and one scallop - not a very balanced meal if you ask me. Even with the minor glitch I will definitely be returning to the cactus club and trying a new item on the menu list. -
Review from Colleen H.
10/13/2011
Love this place! The lounge is great -- you can easily spend your entire Friday night here with a group of friends. The wait staff is really accommodating. The food is pretty good, surprisingly good selection of wines, but the atmosphere is perfect. The best part is there are little tv's in the bathroom stalls...
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Review from Brittany K.
Edmonton, AB
11/29/2010 2 Check-ins Here
If I could, I would give 10 stars to Cactus Club.
My first time at CC for dinner, and I was left with my jaw on the floor. Even without a reservation, the staff jumped on us to get our table of seven into the restaurant. Every staff member I interacted with, from hostess to waiter to manager, was very friendly.
The atmosphere here is fun without being too loud, and trendy without being pretentious. My meal (Cajun chicken with mashed potatoes and veggies) was deeelicious.
Here's where it gets good. Our waitress brought out a salad with almonds to a dinner mate who had specified that she has an almond allergy. When we informed dear waitress of the kitchen's mistake, she, and the manager, apologized profusely, and covered my pal's meal and desserts for the table. They could not have been more genuinely sorry and concerned for my friend's well-being. Cheers to CC! -
Review from Susan S.
9/4/2009
I'd give the food at Cactus Club Cafe three stars, the service one star, and the bathrooms five stars. That evens out to somewhere around two stars.
First, the good: Leave it to the over-the-top West Edmonton Mall (Life-sized replica of the Santa Maria! Water park! Roller coaster! Fire-breathing dragon!) to have a restaurant with bathrooms that tread the line between ridiculously gaudy and awesome. There were tvs in the stalls--yeah, they played a continuous loop of a fashion show, but still . . . They were also very well-designed, particularly from a germaphobe's standpoint. There was a large button to push to work the doors (and not just for handicapped people), O'Hare style sanitized toilet seats, and a floor button to flush. The stall doors extended from ceiling to floor--I've always wondered why more places didn't use this more civilized design.
Of course, it says something about Cactus Club that the bathrooms are the best thing. (It probably says something even worse about me that I can write about bathrooms at such length . . .) The food is fine, but nothing special, despite the inflated and over-conceptual menu. I had spinach and artichoke quesadillas. They were just okay. We were a party of seven and looking around the table, it was clear portions were on the small side although prices were not.
Service was disappointing at best. It took a long time to get beverages--or even to place the order--and the waitress seemed to have considerable difficulty bringing more than one person a glass of water at a time. After we finally found someone to then take our meal order, it took about an hour for our plates to arrive. Yes, there were seven of us, but we ordered lunch--nothing that took much time. When we did mention how long we'd been waiting, our servers were unapologetic.
Overall, I recommend the Cactus Club if you're walking by and need a rest stop. But if you don't want to take two hours for a casual lunch, skip it and try your luck at the food court. -
Review from Colin J.
Edmonton, AB
8/1/2011
I have been here a couple of times, and though the prices are higher than some places, the expense is worth it. I would highly recommend the butternut squash ravioli with the buerre blanc sauce, it is DIVINE!
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Review from Betty D.
Spruce Grove, AB
11/8/2010
I love the Cactus Club! They have one of the best veggie burgers in town and amazing cocktails!
The servers have always been friendly and welcoming.
The patio, in west ed, is great, and the inside is not so shabby either!
I recommend this place to anyone! for lunch, dinner, or cocktails! -
Review from Lasha T.
10/25/2010 1 Check-in Here
This was the first restaurant that I ever went to in Edmonton and I believe that it was a really great start.
I find that restaurant names in Edmonton can be slightly deceiving. Take the Cactus Club for example. The full name calls it a cafe, but a cafe it is certainly not. The decor wasn't anything inspired. I really liked it, however you could go to any Earl's or renovated to Moxie's and see the same thing.
The menu is what sets this restaurant apart from the others. The wine list was well put together and I decided on a Pinot Grigio from Italy, as I do most times. My counter part had an 'interesting red' from their list from Australia which was also quite good.
I was instructed that the best things on the menu had an RF beside them which meant that it was a signature dish from the Canadian Iron Chef, Rob Feenie. I decided on the Four Mushroom Steak which was cooked perfectly. Having previously worked at a steak house I can tell whether the steak is done the way I like before even cutting into it.
I felt that the service was good. We were interactive with our server which made her try to be more interactive with us. I felt that the hostesses were a tad standoffish as my counter part made a joke to one walking by and she just gave him a strange look and walked away. Perhaps she just didn't hear him.
I would certainly go back to the Cactus Club. I would say the high price would limit me from going as often as I like, but the food was worth it. I do agree with other reviews that the location for such a nice restaurant is odd. West Edmonton Mall reminds me of tourist chaos, not fine dining. It can be seen as more of an oasis in the chaos perhaps. Thank goodness it is not actually attached to the mall.Listed in: Favourite Upscale Joints
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Review from Katie F.
6/8/2009
Came here with some girlfriends for lunch during my Edmonton visit. It's a Vancouver institution, but new to Edmonton so they all wanted to check it out. I believe it opened a month or so ago and was pretty full on Sunday but no wait.
Menu is the same as the Cactus Club's out in Vancouver with the updated Rob Feenie additions. Similar decor, but the front has floor to ceiling windows which brightens up the resto compared to the ones I've been to in Vancouver. Decor is done in dark colors, fairly streamlined and the bathrooms have the classic foggy glass doors with TVs built in and the sanitized toilet seats - perfect for my germ-o-phobe tendencies! Love the little motivational mirrors too.
In terms of the food, it's quite consistent. I had the Feenie spinach salad with prosciutto, goat cheese and candied pecans (very good). We shared a side of the yam fries with the mayo dip (yum!) and I had the key lime pie (okay) for dessert. Service was better than most Cactus Clubs - our server was very keen, and drinks were constantly refilled.
BTW, I think guys would be pretty happy here - the servers are all really cute!
Cactus Clubs for me are normally a 3*, but this one is quite nice and would be a 4* for me.
Easy to find parking - located near the Sears entrances of WEM. -
Review from Matt B.
7/18/2011
Great food. Great servers. Great atmosphere. Great drinks. Great decorating (modern). Very busy though since its soo good.
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Review from Nicole B.
Edmonton, AB
2/19/2010 1 photo
I expected a lot when I went I went into the Cactus Club Cafe. It's been hyped up a lot because of its reputation in British Columbia.
I was somewhat let down by the Cactus Club.
The atmosphere is really nice. It's a beautiful restaurant and it's very classy. The servers match the atmosphere, they clean up well!
The servers aren't very friendly though. They get the job done but they don't provide you with the best experience you could have. That was upsetting because, having been in the service industry for years, I know that it doesn't take that much more effort to make a customer's experience a positive one.
The food was pretty good but the prices are ridiculous! You pay twice the money for half the food you would get at another restaurant.
I was not impressed by the Cactus Club. It's a nice place to have a drink with a friend. That's about it. -
Review from J C.
Edmonton, AB
Updated - 7/22/2011
The first six months after totalling my Visa statements I have spent over $3000 at the Cactus Club. Service is top shelf! Food is so good and I mean every dish. The only slight deduction is the Szechuan Beans in Edmonton are not as fresh as the BC stores. I'm looking forward to their new location downtown.......if there is parking.
2 Previous Reviews: Show all »
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2/10/2011
Help!!!!!! I'm addicted.
It's Thursday and it's the third day in a row i've had lunch at the CCC.
Had… Read more »
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Review from Jack G.
Edmonton, AB
11/21/2009
I see Cactus Club as a classier version of Joey's. Much classier.
From what I have heard, this restaurant is all the rage in Vancouver. So when it opened here people were excited, they even flew in waitresses from BC to train the waitresses here. It was made out to be a pretty big deal. I think it has been over hyped. Don't get me wrong it's a great restaurant but all the buzz around it really boosted expectations.
The food is good but considering the small portions it is pretty pricey. I have tried the dry ribs and the blackened chicken. The blackened chicken is really good and enough to make me come here more often. The dry ribs were good too but some pieces had a weird taste to them, kind of like KFC chicken.
The servers were OK. They were like any servers you would come across at this type of restaurant but that being said, since they had brought in servers from BC to train these ones, you would expect them to be outstanding.
I like the way the lounge is set up, it has an oval in the middle with seating all around. They also have TVs every where so if you have come to watch the hockey game you get a good look no matter what. The lighting is dim and the tables are illuminated by candles allowing for a classier feeling in a laid back environment.
I had a good experience for sure but like I said before, they pumped up my expectations and it wasn't as amazing as I had expected. -
Review from Tim R.
Edmonton, AB
1/1/2010
I've heard very good things from my friends in Vancouver about this restaurant, so I was very excited to hear that one of opening up here on the west side. This used to be the Sear's automotive department, and it's apparent with the coated concrete floors and tall ceiling. It has a feel that it's trying to be an upper end Moxies or Earls.
The food is great... if you can get past the small portions and staggering prices. They pride themselves on having a menu inspired by Canada's Iron Chef Rob Feenie, and it definitely feels like you're paying for that privilege. I had a bbq duck clubhouse, which consisted of bbq duck, pan seared chicken and prosciutto on pecan fruit bread. A very interesting combination, but it works and the duck was delicious- easy to tear apart and very juicy. My friend had a beef carpaccio, which was accompanied with a tasty five-herb crostini. He commented the presentation of the food was excellent, yet the portion size was disappointing.
Service at the restaurant was also alright. The waitresses were all wearing black (like Earls or Moxies) but some of them were wearing shirts so low cut that it almost felt like it belonged in a dance club. The service was also slow as well. Everyone in the entire restaurant seemed to be operating on 'slow mode'. I was in a rush for an appointment and even when I told the waitress that I needed the bill right away, she never came back for another 10 minutes. It would have been acceptable if I wasn't in a rush, but frustrating at the time.
The washrooms are fantastic however...perhaps the best in the city right now. Washroom stalls have the flush button on the floor, and a seat cover that cleans itself with every flush. Urinals have lcd screens in your face as well, and there are tvs and a couch by the sink. Honestly, I could spend more time here than in the lounge...perhaps that's why their meals are pricey. -
Review from Tess G.
Edmonton, AB
2/26/2010
I seem to be doing restaurant reviews only when I'm celebrating my birthday cause I never have any time or money the rest of the year.
As we drove up I thought Earl's, Milestones, heck even Outback, you know the load 'em in, charge a lot and move 'em out kind of place. In some respects I was not to be disappointed by my initial reactions.
This is one busy place; thirty odd people in the waiting area; could have been the location, could be the desperation of Edmonton's west end for a better restaurant (cause the Southside owns Dadeos) so who knows. Thankfully we had reservations or I'd have left for sure.
The decor, is the usual, loud open ceiling building with black everywhere and TVs (cause we all like to drink and watch TV - is that an Olympic sport yet) and the tiled floors, the open kitchen, the booth seating yup, so far I wasn't missing the Earls and Milestone's experience here at all. They must all have the same architect or something.
After we were seated. we promised ourselves that this time around we would stay away from over inflated, unrealistic priced alcoholic mixed drinks and wines in favour of their slightly overpriced microbrewery beers at 5 1/2. May you CAN get away with that at the Frontenac in Quebec but not in Edmonton.
I was looking forward to and expecting some tasty signature dishes from the hand of Iron Chef Feenie and to have a well above par experience compared to other restaurants.
So for starters we ordered some of the Mini Cheese Burgers. There were only three of them (cause three looks cool on a plate) but our server said we could if we wanted to, add an additional burger. We declined and just split one of them. The ground meat was chunky enough to remind you that it wasn't hamburger, the relish was truly delightful and they went well with the beer.
For the main meal, I had Rob's Hunter Chicken.
See the rest of my review on:
http://everybodybe.com... -
Review from Abby M.
8/23/2011
We went at about 7:45 on a Friday night and had to wait about 20 minutes. We weren't into spending a ton, so we all chose some of the lower priced items. I myself got the fish tacos. They were good. I love Halibut and there was a nice kick. Our server was very kind and helpful. Basically we had been at the mall for 9 hours and were too tired to comprehend much. The lighting is kinda dark. It's a nice place though. The flatbread I tried was absolutely outstanding and I highly reccomend ordering it. we had trouble finding it though seeing as it is outside the mall, but it all worked out. Just exit through Sears and you'll find it. Very good food. I would like to return and try the Hunter Chicken because it sounds amazing.
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Review from Maria F.
1/1/2010 2 photos
I completely agree with those previous reviewers who said that Cactus Club Café is over hyped. Although this restaurant is beautiful inside and out; the food is good and quite memorable, the service is on the level, I don't think that Cactus Club is the best restaurant in Edmonton, as some people claim. I dined here with three friends, and all of us were extremely curious what the fuss surrounding Cactus Club was all about. The menu looks amazing, and it is really hard to make a decision, especially as you see waiters deliver various amazing looking dishes to neighboring tables. Our waitress didn't appreciate the fact that my friends and I couldn't make a decision, and rushed us a bit. She acted somewhat squirmy, and we gave in. From more than fifty meals on the menu I chose butternut squash ravioli and scallops. How good does that sound? In reality, the taste was much simpler than the menu made me believe. Maybe I should have ordered something more traditional and familiar such as ribs, salmon or fajita, because although it felt adventurous to try an unusual dish, I didn't really appreciate the taste. Maybe I haven't developed a taste palette sophisticated enough to appreciate the beauty of the dish I ordered. My friends went for ribs and burgers, and were very happy with their selection. All dishes were beautifully plated.
The décor is simple, elegant and modern. Floor to ceiling mirrors provide good amount of light yet don't ruin the ambiance. -
Review from Sara M.
Edmonton, AB
8/6/2009
Finally Edmonton has a restaurant with an actual world class chef. OK so he's not there all the time (or maybe ever) but the food is great, and the ambience is great. Especially love the Sabelfish - I had never even heard of sablefish before I came but it is absolutely delicious, and fairly light so you don't leave feeling like you ate more than you should have. We enjoy the lounge and the restuarant side (depending on who we are with). Highly recommend it! Check out the cajun steak or chicken as well, they are both yummy.
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Review from Adam S.
12/15/2009
way over hyped. were unable to accomodate a table of six in the restaurant. food was over priced for the quality and quantity (small portions, pretentious). too many staff not doing anything (5 or 6 managers in a small restaurant). one waitress had too much perfume on which was really offensive - a big no-no in my books. given all the hype I expected more; is like any fusion resaurant (earls, joeys) but darker lighting and with worse music playing.
