Abilene has been waiting two years for the Angry Cactus to be remodeled/built in the old Sockdolager Brewery location in the SODA (South of Downtown) district off of S. 1st between Oak and Locust. They already have a well-regarded location in downtown San Angelo, and chef/owner Tim Condon chose Abilene for his location.
 |
Filet
|
 |
| Looking toward the front |
I have to commend him for having an extended soft opening period which could be used for training his team and where diners could make lunch or dinner reservations (via Google) and give feedback on the food and service. Hopefully, this approach will lessen the crush and opening snags that usually happen when a new restaurant opens here by giving people many opportunities to try it before they officially launch on October 19th. The place has already gathered a lot of positive word-of-mouth. I visited during the soft opening on a Tuesday for dinner. When they open fully that they likely will not take reservations. They do not take them at the San Angelo location.
 |
Looking toward the kitchen
|
When I first heard that a full-service restaurant was going to go into this location, I was worried because I knew that the parking lot was small and that most people would have to park on the street or over in the courthouse parking lot and walk a bit. Not everyone is going to be up for that, unless they really want to eat at the place in question. At this point, people were willing to make the trek so I hope that continues, especially during the colder months.
 |
Prickly pear margarita
|
As you enter, there is a smallish waiting area on the left, some merchandise for sale on the right, and a big reception area in front of you with the bar behind it. Our host quickly seated us in a booth on the west side of the restaurant. There is a step up to get into the booth, so keep that in mind for mobility issues because the restaurant is has black floors and it can be hard to spot. The ceiling is also black but the decor and walls have a lot of color and neon to make the place "pop". There is a big, bright Abilene mural above the kitchen area. Music was playing and there were televisions around but it was not too loud. At 5:30pm the tables were about half-full but the atmosphere was not overly noisy. I am not sure what is will be like when the place is packed. There is also a view of the kitchen area and everyone was working hard on getting the food out.
 |
Green chili queso
|
My friend and I decided to get two appetizers. We ordered the green chili queso and chips ($10) and the unlimited chips and salsa, which had two types of salsa, a red and a green ($6). Both were well worth the price. I especially enjoyed the queso. There were visible strips of roasted green chili in it and it was the perfect consistancy. Not too thick but not runny either. The portion was very generous. The chips were a consistancy that is not my favorite. I like tortilla chips to either be thinner or thicker but the in-between kind tend to lack enough crunch which can come off as stale even though they not stale. That being said, thin chips would not work with the queso since they would break. The salsas were both tasty but I enjoyed the green more because it reminded me of Green Goddess salad dressing. Very creamy and herbal instead of being tomatillo-based. The red salsa was quite tomato-forward and did not have much heat to it. On my next visit for an appetizer, I will get the cheese fries which has the queso on top.
 |
| Banana Foster cake |
Because of having two appetizers and wanting to try dessert, I did not order an entree. My friend got the wood-grilled filet ($42) which came with garlic mashed potatoes and vegetables (carrots, green beens, and squash. The steak was topped with a red wine demi-glaze and crispy fried onions. The steak was perfectly cooked as ordered (medium-rare), extremely tender, and was around 8 oz. in size. It was pronounced as the best steak the person has ever had in Abilene (and that includes the Beehive, Perini's and Copper Creek). I had a bite and it was delicious. The sauce added some dimension without overshadowing the beef. Food presentation throughout the meal was done with style.
For dessert, we shared the Banana Foster cake ($16) which has been getting rave reviews from people. It was butter cake topped with vanilla ice cream along with bruleed bananas, candied pecans, and a sprinkling of granola. Decadent and delicious. The price point was a bit on the high side but desserts are meant to be indulgent, right? It was certainly enough for two people to share.
The server and the person training her did a very nice job of taking care of myself and my companion. The food came out in a timely fashion. We had two managers drop by our table, along with the chef/owner who chatted with us for a while. Especially about the quality of the beef that was being served, which was very high indeed. Everyone was on top of their game and the attitude was quite welcoming.
Without being on special, the least expensive entree on the menu is $14 (catfish) and the most expensive is the antelope steak ($48). There are lamb chops available which you do not see often around here. There are also burgers, chicken, pork, Mexican inspired dishes, chicken fried steak, salads, pasta, and seafood choices. There were several gluten sensitive options as well.
Some other highlights about the Angry Cactus--a brunch menu is served on Saturday AND Sunday, $12 lunch specials on weekdays, evening dinner specials several days of the week, and drink specials every day. If you time it right, you will not need to spend a ton of money to have a great meal at the Angry Cactus.
On my next visit I will probably try the "This ain't your grandma's meatloaf." It is one of the chef's specialties. I recommend you give the Angry Cactus a try. I do not think you will be disappointed.
https://www.theangrycactus.com/
https://www.facebook.com/angrycactusabilene/
833 S. 1st St.
Abilene, TX 79602
325-232-6200
Regular Hours (starting Oct 19, 2026):
Mon - Thu: 11am - 10pm
Fri & Sat: 11am - 11pm
Sun: 10am - 9pm
