Cactus Club Cafe joins the rest of the chained restaurants in a fight to claim Toronto's premier cocktail restaurant spot. And I think it's definitely up there with the very best.
We went with a group of 4 to Cactus on a Sunday evening. The place was very busy, and looking great with the fire display outside. Upon being seated upstairs by very friendly staff, the ambience was a lot better than I expected it to be. The arrangement of the restaurant placed the bar in the middle, with seating covering 360 degrees around it. Restaurant tables are scattered on the outer perimeter of the restaurant, making this place feel incredibly lounge-y and stylish. It is definitely more cozy than it appears on the outside.
Onto the menu, it reads like a typical pub/bar selection with a bit of flair. It was nice seeing that the prices are reasonable for food of this calibre, as well as offering enough classic selections (such as steak and burgers) even for the non-decisive ones. We opted for the hunter chicken with pan jus and the pappardelle pasta. The chicken was tender and juicy, presumably cooked under sous vide or rotisseries style, which worked well with the medley of vegetables that complimented it. The pasta was seasoned nicely and had sufficient moisture in the braised short rib. All in all, the food did not blown our minds, but was definitely delicious with our drink pairings.
Cactus Club Cafe resembles the embodiment of what a great cocktail bar / pub restaurant should be. It offers sophisticated yet classic selections that tastes both great and looks great. Environment was cozy and upscaled. Would recommend for any Friday nights.