THE CACTUS RESTAURANT
Where are you going to find “Seattle’s Best Margarita?” Let’s hear it for Cactus, the exuberantly colorful, Southwestern-and-Mexican-inspired restaurant that’s been a favorite of Madison Parkers since 1990. Owned and operated by brothers Bret and Marc Chatalas, the popular spot tempts diners with everything from Chicken Fried Chicken, Carne Asada, and Camarones Tacos to favorites from the original menu, including Green Enchiladas, Fajitas, Flan, Fried Bananas, and Fry Bread. And don’t forget those amazing Margaritas – named “Seattle’s Best” early on by both Seattle Weekly and The Seattle Times. (The secret: fresh lime juice.)
It would seem that Cactus would be a natural for the Chatalas brothers. Their parents owned Lowell’s in the Pike Place Market – a Seattle institution. But while the restaurant business may have been in their blood, Bret didn’t see himself as a restaurateur initially. “I wanted nothing to do with restaurants after spending summers and weekends since age 12 working in the Market,” he says. “I got a Finance and Real Estate degree from Washington State University which has an amazing hospitality program ironically. Fate had other plans for me apparently.” Soon after college graduation, Bret began his long and rewarding career at Cactus.
As a result of Cactus’s popularity and success in Madison Park, the Chatalas brothers added five other Cactus locations: Kirkland, Alki Beach, South Lake Union, Bellevue Square, and Tacoma. (They also own Tavern Hall in Bellevue.) But as Bret notes, “While we have had success in all seven of our locations, Madison Park is a special place and we are proud to be a part of the community for over 35 years.” Indeed, Cactus has been a generous Gold Sponsor of the Madison Park community, contributing to both Music in the Park and our Holiday Tree Lighting.
Additionally, the restaurant group’s generosity has extended beyond our local area, most recently by donating a percentage of one day’s sales to help victims of Hurricane Helene and the California and Maui wildfires.
