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Evangeline Café
Category: Restaurants Cajun/Creole Cajun/Creole [Edit]
8106 Brodie LnAustin, TX 78745
(512) 282-2586
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 11 am - 9:30 pm
Sat 11 am - 12 am
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- Free
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Loud
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
180 reviews for Evangeline Café
Review Highlights
"They have the most amazingly awesome live music here."
(in 34 reviews)
"We had boudin and red beans and rice for appetizers."
(in 14 reviews)
"Maybe the best po boy west of the Acme Oyster House."
(in 31 reviews)
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180 reviews in English
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Review from Justin P.
Austin, TX
2/8/2012
My girlfriend is from NOLA, apparently that's what they call it.... and she is as picky as could be when it comes to Cajun food. She didn't even really want to try this place. I think she assumed it wouldn't be as good as the cajun she makes. I also love cajun and am a bit less picky, so I was really excited to give this place a try.
I thought it was awesome! Really tasty dark gumbo, out of this world etouffee, and authentic pistolettes shipped in straight from Lake Charles. The bigger surprise? My girlfriend also loved it! The owner came over to our table (nicest guy in the world) and she couldn't stop raving to him that he could move his restaurant to New Orleans and that it would be just as big a success competing with the locals spots.
I only wish it wasn't located in a totally blah strip mall... The food and fun live music and atmosphere do make up for it though.
When ever we need an authentic cajun fix, we know where to go now! -
Review from Steven R.
2/1/2012 1 Check-in Here
It is so odd when you find a great place like this in a suburban strip mall. But there it is...
Great Cajun food. I had the Oysters Contraband and a cup of Gumbo. The fried oysters were big, and each was served on an awesome homemade potato chip. Six of these big rascals on a bed of shredded iceberg lettuce and topped with a "spicy" remoulade. It was not so spicy, and tasted alot like thousand island dressing, but was still very good. I ate the left over remoulade with the lettuce.
The Gumbo was solid. Nice and "dirty", with a clean finish. It was lunch time, or I would have washed it down with an Abita. Instead, I had a good cup of Community Coffee and one of their pecan praline stuffed Pistolettes. Really sweet, but really good. Think pecan pie stuffed donut.
Their menu was pretty extensive, with many interesting looking entrees. And the lunch specials are a great deal, and carry over to Saturday. I'll be back! -
Review from Wes C.
Austin, TX
1/25/2012
my favorite restaurant in Austin. Amazing service. Everything on the menu is great. I love going on Live Music nights!
My only complaint is that they don't take reservations for large parties but once you grab an ice cold beer and start chowing down on some boudin, you will forget about the wait. -
Review from Jenn P.
Austin, TX
2/9/2012
South austin hole in the wall. Live music, great Cajun food, purple haze and BYOL (bring your own liquor)!! You can also bring your own wine but be aware they charge you a $10 corking fee so bring a big bottle to get your money's worth. Great atmosphere and awesome food. Roast beef po boy is a favorite. Be sure to get it with the onion rings...so delish. Wouldn't recommend the fried pickles, just meh. This place is always busy and it's a small space so get there early for dinner. The food is not expensive. They only serve beer and wine, no hard liquor thats why you bring your own if that's your drink of choice. They do have a variety of Abita beer. Small outdoor seating in the front. Do not take reservations. Closed Sundays.
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Review from Katherine G.
Austin, TX
2/7/2012 2 Check-ins Here
The Gumbo is right on the money
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Review from Patricia T.
Austin, TX
12/18/2011
I'd give it six stars if I could. Excellent food at excellent prices.
The only two cons as far as I'm concerned is it's really small, so sometimes you have to wait, and it's not open on Sundays -- both of which are clearly owner's decisions to keep it manageable. Well, you gotta respect that. -
Review from Steph A.
Austin, TX
1/14/2012
Gator bites were delicious. The atmosphere was super cool and the wait staff was friendly. It is a bit pricey, but in my opinion, totally worth it. Recommend once again, especially if you're in the mood for some down home cajun cooking. :)
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Review from Brian W.
Austin, TX
1/15/2012
Probably the best Cajun in Austin... Great menu, prices, and atmosphere. Location may be a little removed for some, but is worth a short drive
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Review from Jay A.
Austin, TX
1/27/2012
Great atmosphere but you would never know it just passing by. Food is great and service is always good. I wish they had a larger bar area to wait for seating however if the weather is nice, there is plenty of room outside.
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Review from Mark H.
Austin, TX
11/4/2011
What can I say? I found me a new cajun place right here in South Austin. I just ate at Evangeline Café yesterday and it couldn't have been a more pleasant experience. Anytime I go to a new food spot, I look at the food type they are advertising, in this case Cajun/Creole, and order what I consider the signature dish of that food type.
At Evangeline Cafe I ordered the Red Beans and Rice, the Gumbo, and the Jambalaya. First let me say, there are a lot of cajun places that cook these foods that just do ok at some and slightly better at the others. That's almost become my expectation with cajun restaurants. NOT THIS TIME! All three were really good. The red beans and rice were especially perfect, just like I would get as a boy in Mississippi. The gumbo was delicious, not too watery, not too starchy and thick. The jambalaya was well cooked, and the meats were full of flavor not just a thrown in after thought like so many places. Whatever/whoever they have doing their thing in the kitchen...never change it!
Mix with the food experience the decor, classically filled with icons of the Louisiana area, and you're sure to have a really good cajun restaurant experience. It's very deceiving when you arrive. It's in a tiny strip mall that is about as generic as it comes. The sign out front is boring and screams no character, I'm assuming that's the landlord and nothing to do with the restaurant itself.
I have no doubt that if this restaurant was in the heart of downtown, and had a fully themed decor inside and out, that it would be one of the most popular eateries in town.
Now throw in that the lunchtime waitresses are all very cute, happy, and upbeat and you can't go wrong.
Geaux get you some! -
Review from Ron U.
Austin, TX
8/29/2011
Another reason to fall in love with Evangeline Cafe.........
BYO-Booze, thats right you can bring in a handle of whiskey or your favorite hard liquor into the restaurant. You can bring your own wine for a small "cork fee". GOD, I love Austin TX! -
Review from Evdokia O.
Austin, TX
10/13/2011 1 Check-in Here
Four things to keep in mind when reading this review:
1) We were hungry.
2) McDonald's on Slaughter Lane was closed for 'equipment repair,' and we decided we didn't want burgers after all.
3) We were out running errands and wanted something in our neighborhood.
4) We were desperate AND hungry. (Hence why we went to Mickey D's first.)
With a majority of thumbs-up reviews from my fellow Yelpers, the boyfriend and I placed an order here for the Skeeters Fried Pickles, Crawfish Etouffee, and (at my own risk due to the Pappadeaux incident) the Fried Oyster Po'Boy.
The best part of the meal, sadly, was the non-Cajun fried pickles. They were slightly greasy but crispy and flavorful. That's the only reason for the two stars.
The fried oysters in the po'boy were disgusting. They were dry and tasted like they were on the verge of spoiling. My boyfriend said they tasted nasty, like smoked old mushrooms. I don't think I would have been able to stomach them had I not been so hungry and had the bread not been tasty enough to hide their taste. Even after all that, my stomach felt half-empty.
The crawfish etouffee, according to my boyfriend, was a bust. I tasted it, and it was spicy, but the portion was not worth $11.99. There was no bread included, and the crawfish tails were penny-sized. He said it lacked lots of flavor and looked like green slime so he gave it a B-.
Whoever said that this is real Cajun food must have been in the throes of a drunken stupor or nursing a hangover. That's the only way I can imagine the food to taste nearly half as good as the majority of reviewers claim.
UPDATE 10/14/2011: I'm now the fourth or fifth person (I think) that has gotten sick here. Moral of the story here? Avoid like the plague, which is probably what is in the food. The worst part about it is that the owner doesn't even care. And that's what brings this down to one star, although honestly, Evangeline deserves none. After promising to comp some of the meal, the "owner" never followed through. Well, I encourage anyone who values their health not to follow through with any plans to patronize this place, especially since a few other reviewers have reported roaches in the establishment and that they have gotten violently ill. -
Review from Chris H.
Austin, TX
10/9/2011 1 Check-in Here
This is somewhere between three and four stars, but I rounded up because it's a good neighborhood place and they try real hard. That's gotta count for something, right?
Evangeline is a small little place that's been around for ages. We ate here once many moons ago, right after it opened, and were none too inspired. Reviews are generally very positive, though - and have been for a long time - so when they boy asked to go there, I relented. Kinda glad that I did.
Food was fine. I had a catfish maque-choux (think that's how it's spelled), which is a fillet covered in a spicy corn chowder over a bed of rice. The fish was fine, but the chowder is the star of this dish. Quite flavorful, with a touch of spice. The boy had a corn dog basket, which was, well, a corn dog basket. We topped it off with a bread pudding that was pretty good - warm and drenched in caramel sauce.
Service was a little strange. Despite the fact that they had nearly more employees working than customers eating (and the restaurant was about 3/4 full), and they were all working really hard, it was a challenge to get the proper server's attention. This, coupled with the odd choice of sending out each table's food item-by-item, rather than all together, made for a somewhat bewildering experience. It's hard to fault them, though, because everyone was just so friendly, and they really were working. We'll call it an off night.
What I liked about the place was the vibe. It's down home and friendly, and the sort of restaurant that makes you feel like you belong there. It's an enjoyable experience just sitting down and soaking it in.
I'm going four stars on this one because this is precisely the sort of place we need more of in this world - small family joints that are true to themselves, and go out of their way to share it with you. Don't you ever change, Evangeline. -
Review from Stephanie C.
Fentress, TX
10/20/2011 5 photos
I know a cajun named Perry. He once told me to go to Evangeline Cafe and try the food. Along comes my friend Pauly who wants to go hear some live music and her husband is going to be out of town. Where does she want to go, you ask. Evangeline Cafe to hear Brennen Leigh. She goes here all the time so she started us out with some Evangeline chips and sauce. It's thin-sliced home fried potato slices with a special house sauce. A fabulous spin given to the regular table fare.
On the top of this menu item were the words "house favorite." I thought I must try that. It was the Crawfish Evangeline. To me it was akin to crawfish ettouffe meets rich, creamy fettuccine alfredo. It truly was delicious. It ran out far to soon. I think any cajun would love it.
My dear friend, Pauly, had the fried shrimp. She apparently has it every time she goes and she didn't want me to give her any flack about it. I might have. She also told me a story that she forbid me to share on my blog. We'll see about that. She let me try a bite of her shrimp and the dirty rice. The lightly breaded shrimp were delicious. I thought the dirty rice was the best I have ever had. She says that the sauce is really what makes it all good. Take note.
Then we shared some bread pudding. It was yummy with a nice caramel sauce. I have actually only had this one time in my life so my knowledge of it is slim. I thought it was delicious. Light and yet decadent.
My favorite part of the evening, besides being with my friend, was the sounds of blue grass in the background. Brennen Leigh leads worship at Austin New Church and she plays the local live music scene. I absolutely loved it. I already want to go back and take my husband. I loved the atmosphere. -
Review from Samantha G.
Austin, TX
7/25/2011
ouch, Yelp. That's the sound of my heart breaking! You led me astray. How could you??
Based on the many good reviews of Evangeline, I decided the other night to convince my boyfriend that NO, he doesn't want to eat another hot dog; in fact, he wants cajun food, and wasn't it his suggestion? I don't remember but I thinkitwasokletsgo! I'm so good at inception, I shoulda been in the movie.
Anyway, we're still figuring out our new neighborhood, but after a 15 minute detour on the confusing-ass highways of south Austin, we found Evangeline. Starving, I forced the bf to order an appetizer. I shouldn't be surprised, but he chose the french fries and onion rings. They were fine, but nothing special. I went with the fried shrimp with spicy sauce and linguine for my entree (at the suggestion of our waitress) and the bf chose jambalaya. And for good measure, I got an Abita root beer.
I hate to say it, y'all, but the Abita was the best part of my meal. My pasta dish was super...blah. I am an 'enthusiastic' eater (read: glutton), and I was done with my dish after about 5 bites. The shrimp were very fried, but not very seasoned. The pasta sauce was NOT as spicy as I have come to expect from cajun food, and it didn't really bring together the pasta and the shrimp. It was just too much starch. My boyfriend's jambalaya was straight up SAD. That sound you heard was Mr. Zatarain and Uncle Ben rolling in their graves. The jambalaya was like some kind of weird cajun-esque fried rice. Not to say I'm an expert, but the jambalaya I'm familiar with is mirepoix mixed into rice with distinguishable grains, mixed with cajun seasoning and flavorful pieces of chicken and sausage and seafood, etc. Evangeline's jambalaya was not that.
Did we order the wrong things? I feel like our dishes were very standard items of cajun fare, and my dish was actually a 'specialty' of the restaurant! Don't get me started on these specialty distinctions..Restaurants use them far too freely, nuff said. Anyway, all that said, the service was good. Our waitress was helpful and prompt with our order, but the good service is not enough to bring me back for bad food. To seal the deal, a beetle was crawling across the floor as we got our check back. See you never, Evangeline. Yelp, I expect an apology. -
Review from Lee P.
TX
11/23/2011
I have eaten here several times and the food has always been pretty good - not the best, but decent.
Last night my girlfriend and I decided to go there to get something to eat. It was about 8 PM. We got there, and the hostess-like person tried to seat us BEHIND the guitar player in the band - literally, if he would have moved his guitar, it would have hit one of us in the head. They had TWO empty tables, but these sat 4-5 persons and I guess they were hoping that a larger party would come along. They would not give us one of the open tables and asked if we would wait about 15 minutes.
We didn't want to sit on top of the band, and didn't want to wait just because they wanted to seat a larger party. So we left and ate elsewhere.
This had been one of our favorite places, but no more. Service like this makes me think that they do not need or want our business.
The food isn't bad, but if you are looking for better Cajun food, go to Cypress Grill on Wm. Cannon. -
Review from Valerie P.
Sunset Valley, TX
Updated - 6/27/2011 1 Check-in Here
Sookie!!! Bill!!! For that moment in time I thought I was sitting in Merlotte's in Bon Temp, Tara was working the bar, and Lafayette was in the kitchen dressed in a bedazzled Longhorn's baseball cap, purple scarf, white wife beater and blue jean cut offs.
As usual, my meal was fantastic and the live music was great. I have a new favorite dish at Evangeline, it is the stuffed pork chops.
Sookie! Bill!1 Previous Review: Show all »
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7/15/2010
I just spent $20 bucks for Seafood Gumbo and it was worth every penny. I love Evangeline Cafe… Read more »
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Review from Betina F.
Austin, TX
7/16/2011
Another rock-star spot in Austin. This is what south Austin is all about great food, live music and good friends. Its a small place, so come early and stay late (you don't have to wear burnt orange...). They have real Cajun atmosphere with mardi gras masks/beads, posters on the walls, with pictures of famous musicians and local Austin stars. The front door beckons with an iconic sticker from the Texicalli Grill that reads "Just be nice!" which is what the South Austin Mayor- Danny Young used to say all the time. The only negative thing I have to say is I wish the mediocre chinese place next door should move out so Evangeline could expand!!
The food at Evangeline is divine and comes in plentiful portions. Dinner prices are between $7-18 which is super reasonable in my opinion. A few of our favorites are: (in no particular order) Crawfish stuffed pistolets, Fried Gater bites with Jezebel sauce, Crawfish Ettouffee, Stuffed Avocado, Chicken Fried Steak, Chicken Caesar Salad, Fried Crawfish tails, Cheeseburger salad, Oysters Contraband, and of course the Caramel & Praline stuffed pistolet for desert!! I have never had a bad meal in seven years of dining here. It is far superior to any of the other Cajun places in Austin.
Curtis the owner is a friendly Cajun boy who really knows his way around a kitchen and it shows. I proclaim Curtis is the king of Austin Cajun food! The bar is teeny tiny but they do have a patio if you want to hang out with a beer and chat. The stage is small and practically on top of two dinner tables, but thats better to me than being a thousand miles away from the music like at the Summit or Bass Concert Hall.
Come eat with friends or make new ones, this place is casual and friendly and the service is great. Thursday thru Sat they have live music so it may be loud if you arrive late for dinner. They are closed on Sunday. I am here about once a week, because I love this place so much! -
Review from CW A.
Austin, TX
6/22/2011
A wonderfully surprising taste of Louisana cafe in a South Austin strip mall. The food was very delicious and the live music was great! A family friendly restaurant. Highly recommend!!
Will be going back again very soon! -
Review from Mark G.
6/25/2011
I made it a point to venture south to try their muffaletta, based on an Austin Chronicle "Critics Pick" award in their 2011 Restaurant Poll. Let me be clear, I'm more disappointed to see a Chronicle critic (Virginia B. Wood) pick this thoroughly mediocre iteration of a muffaletta than I am in Evangeline Cafe.
The texture of the bread was a bit off (supposedly sourced from a Louisiana bakery), and the olive salad (supposedly made in-house) lacked the right flavor, as do so many in-house attempts at Italian olive salad. They'd do better by picking up a jar of Boscoli olive salad - available at better grocery stores everywhere. It's the closest I've found to the magical mixture served at Central Grocery in the French Quarter, touted as the birthplace of the muffaletta.
I wouldn't expect a transcendent muffaletta at a strip mall in south Austin, and that's why I'm more bothered by the Chron writer than by Evangeline's effort to include this classic on its menu. The cafe has a nice vibe for a strip mall location. The other offerings and friendly service make me want to like it more. I'd return for those reasons and hope I might have a four star visit. I regret that it's three for now... -
Review from Sammi P.
Austin, TX
6/27/2011
There is a reason why so many people have written reviews-this place is great.
The stuffed fish is delicious, but you not matter what you order you must start with the oyster appetizer. -
Review from Jen O.
Austin, TX
6/27/2011 3 Check-ins Here
The atmosphere here is amazing. You feel as though you've walked right into a small bar in New Orleans. The vide is good and there's lots of live music.
If you want a po-boy, they are THE best! The bread is crunchy on the outside but soft on the inside & the Evangeline sauce is killer. I had a wild hair a couple of times and ordered things other than my normal shrimp po-boy. That was a mistake. Stay away from the pasta and the corn bread we got with the red beans & rice was disgusting. I was so sad the whole menu wasn't as good as the po-boys! -
Review from Yami P.
Austin, TX
3/2/2011
I would have never gone to this restaurant had it not been for fellow yelpers..... It's location in an old strip mall doesn't do it justice.
I went on a Monday at around 6 and it still took us 25 min to get a table. That place is packed! Seating is tight but the atmosphere is fun and relaxed. There was a band playing and it got loud in there.
We ordered the Oyster's Contraband which is a bit pricey considering there were only 5 oysters but it was delicious!! My husband thinks it's worth the price. I really liked this appetizer but i'm not sure i would be ordering it on a regular basis.
For our entree we ordered a regular sized Shrimp Po-boy and OMG!!! It was so good. Full of flavor, warm, and that Evangeline sauce is finger-licking good!! I really wished we could have ordered the large one.
I am for sure coming back to try more of their menu. -
Review from Logan G.
Kyle, TX
8/24/2011
Awesome cajun food and a cool environment! They play live music almost every night out of the week and have excellent food. This is probably one of the few cajun places in Austin and its amazing!! Fun place to take your family or friends!
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Review from Alicia P.
Austin, TX
4/23/2011
Just had lunch here, and I have to say from someone that had a nanny that made most of this creole food for me when I was younger, it was fantastic. I split the alligator bites with my mother and grandmother, they were great. They had the right consistency, the meat wasn't tough, and the Evangeline sauce they put on top of it was to die for.
For my own food I got the Number 4 lunch special, which is fried seafood from either catfish, crawfish, or oysters. I chose the crawfish and let me tell you, they did a good job. The breading was perfect, it had a bit of kick to it that kept with the New Orleans theme and were just sweet enough to where the actual meat had a flavor. The dirty rice was some of the best I've ever had, and that's saying something.
My mother had an oyster po boy and just from the smell alone it had my mouth watering. According to her it was very good, very rich and with enough sauce on it to make it not dry, which is hard to accomplish with a proper po boy. She had the gumbo cup to go with as a side, and it looked and smelled proper.
My grandma had the full bowl of gumbo with a side of potato salad. I tried some of the gumbo and let me just say that the base of the soup made it nice and dark and murky tasting, and was light enough to not weigh us down in the Texas heat. The sausage in the soup was the best part, it was just spicy enough with a hit of tang and brought to mind very pleasant childhood memories.
Then, for desert, we split their Desert Praline. Let me just say that, having never had one before, it was the best thing I've had in a while. This little bite of heaven was nothing short of a pecan bonanza, pecans with butter and sugar like a pie filling, not too sweet, rolled up into a light and crunch crust of what tasted like puff pastry. It was crispy and gooey and all things good in the world. It was dusted with powdered sugar and then served swimming in this marvelous, loose caramel sauce. WHEN we come back, I'm having this again, no matter how full I get.
All in all, this place is the place to go for some good down home cooking like momma made. It was fresh, still pipping hot-almost too hot-when we got it, fresh and made to order, the order sizes were huuuuge and I'm still full. Three hours later. -
Review from Carmella M.
Austin, TX
Updated - 12/6/2010
Konmen to yê? Very full ........still love the food, even better than the last time, I was there and had the warm and spicy burn in a good way Seafood Creole with a my Avocado Poorboy and Sweet Tea with the special Evangeline Sugar ,Service was quick ,place was clean and cooks wore hairnet's case you was wondering.
Will I go back , you bet I will, a girl has too eat .Might as well be good food.Listed in: gotta eat, Drop it like it;s Hot., Eat like its 1999
2 Previous Reviews: Show all »
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5/17/2010
I wonder why all the Yelpers of Austin don't just gather for a great meal here? , this place is so… Read more »
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Review from Abby S.
Austin, TX
6/9/2011
My First review!
This place is a little gem. From the outside, it doesn't look like much, especially since it's located in a strip center. However, once inside, you will fill right at home with all the crazy decorations everywhere....Ok, on to the food. I've had all sorts of wonderful creations from this place but, I will just comment on the most recent.
I ordered the seafood combo with fried shrimp and oysters and opted for the dirty rice over the fries. The shrimp and oysters were cooked absolutely perfect. I hate ordering oysters and they come out rubbery. NOT HERE! They melted in my mouth. Think Hershey's Kiss on a Texas Sidewalk in August (or June the way things are going). Yes, they are that good. The rice was a little on the dry side but still acceptable ( I added some hot sauce!).
The salad was fresh and the dressing (Ranch) was homemade and yummy. The cocktail sauce was different, but in a good way! I wonder what they put in it? Anyway, great food, great service and great atmosphere. Can't wait to go back!
xoxo,
Abby -
Review from Kirk B.
Austin, TX
5/23/2011
As a real Cajun from Lafayette Louisiana I can full heartily give this place the THUMBS DOWN. My Stuffed Red Fish was way over cooked and stuffed with that crap you get out of a processed stuffed crab. Yuck! Nothing was impressive. Nothing was even good. My wife was the smart one and stuck with a burger. We had not been here since it opened and now we remember why. It blew. Good places to eat good seafood and such: Eddie V's, Shoreline Grill, Quality Seafood, Trulucks.
These guys offer the real thing! No Fillers, No Dried Up Fish, No doubt you will enjoy.
As for Evangeline Cafe' someone please call Gordon Ramsay's -
Review from Deidre Q.
Austin, TX
12/10/2011
Go for the alligator in sauce piquante. Stay for the pecan pie in a donut (yes, it's as good as it sounds). Stay all night for the live music. There's nothin wrong with this place (but it's in a strip mall :-/). Great food. Great service. Great music. Can't wait to go again.
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Review from adam s.
Austin, TX
9/20/2011
I can't quite remember how it was that I heard about this place but I was very glad that I made the trip. It's a bit off the beaten path in South Austin and kind of in a random shopping center. I must say it is the best Cajun food I have had outside of New Orleans. We tried two appetizers, the stuffed pistolettes and a cup of gumbo. They have a great selection of beers, including Abita from New Orleans. My shrimp po boy was as authentic as I've had in Louisianna. Simple.
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Review from Stefan U.
Austin, TX
1/14/2011
I went here for the first time before Christmas with a few friends and the first impression was very positive, definitely going to go back and try again. The place is relatively small and seems to be usually packed with people and provides a very casual atmosphere. There is a small bar and then a bunch of eating tables and a small corner where they had a band playing.
Food was very good, I had a softshell crab poboy which was excellent and I also tried the gumbo which was very good.
This is definitely a great place for a casual dinner with good comfort food and a cool, laid back atmosphere. -
Review from Jennifer T.
Austin, TX
8/28/2011
Have been here many times, consistently great food at reasonable prices. Can't go wrong with Maw Maw's gumbo, a po' boy, or the red beans and rice. Great little joint, in a quirky South Austin location.
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Review from Bruce W.
Austin, TX
2/1/2011
Damn good.
Really great options on the menu. Not boring. -
Review from thomas c.
8/20/2011
First time having authentic Cajun and it was pretty awesome. The creole was just the right spiciness. The menu was pretty cryptic to me so I had to have my friend order. They offer a wide range of Louisiana beers from Abita. I ordered the Purple Haze which is a wheat beer with a hint of raspberry added.
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Review from Mark M.
1/9/2011
I was visiting home (Austin) from New York for the holidays and the never-ending, always-expected debate of "where to eat?" ensues. I swear the energy my family puts into making this decision could power Puerto Rico or a similarly populated land mass for years. N-E-wayz...we went to Evangeline and it wasn't bad.
- Excellent service
- Great atmosphere -- the type of decor and stuff that national chain brands like Chili's would try to replicate in freaking Connecticut (but can only be awesome as intended in original form as it is here)
- Great menu, of course, focusing on the Cajun specialties of Louisiana---but also plenty of other stuff (and a kid's menu)
- I have to say I felt like everything was majorly over salted
- Po-boys are A++
- Chicken fried steak -- ehhhhh -- just "ok" -- I've had a lot better
- Mom says they bring in their muffaletta (sp?) bread directly from Louisiana (in my mind I'm thinking of a swamp boat cruisin' down I-10 with a crap ton of bread)
Good beer selection, too. -
Review from DeeAnne B.
Austin, TX
2/12/2011
Oysters Contraband...so so good. An appetizer of fried oysters with house made remoulade on a fried chip. AAHHH! So good.
They also make perfect grilled shrimp. Excellent seasoning that is flavorful but not too spicy.
Ham and cheese PoBoy with jalapeno mayo... Get out of town! I love it.
Superb atmosphere. There is something to look at everywhere you point your eyeballs. Servers are attentive and friendly. Bartender is fast and funny. The owner is in and out, checking on tables and conversing with patrons.
My husband loves the alligator stew. My kid swears by the kid's plate of chicken and fries. We all love the live music. A real hit in my family! -
Review from My-Tien N.
Austin, TX
9/1/2010
To go or not to go, that is the question.
To go as in take out...this food is still delicious as eating in the restaurant. After hearing about this place for a while, I finally step into the strip center to find it feels like you're in New Orleans. The food is so great. My favorite is the oysters contraband. Pricey but so worth every messy bite. The shrimp & catfish po-boys are fabulous along with the rice and beans.
Their service is so spectacular. They see you coming a mile away and are ready for you the moment you walk into the door. They all have personality and it's a great feeling to be in an establishment with so much pride. Even the front door says "Be nice".
Live music is basically going every day. If you are missing Nola, this is a great place to feel a bit of the Big Easy.
I've been several times now. I think living so close is going to be a problem. -
Review from Katy M.
Austin, TX
8/10/2011
I've eaten at this place before and it was delicious with an awesome, homey vibe. My last experience however will be just that, my last. Our waiter was friendly as was all the staff. My concern is with the cleanliness. The bathroom had roaches crawling in it and I got terribly sick after eating the gumbo. I had chills, couldn't drive and threw up several times.
Listed in: Worst in town
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Review from Kurt K.
Austin, TX
9/6/2011
Evangeline Cafe is a great little place tucked away in far south Austin, but if you're looking for good Cajun food it's definitely worth the trip. The atmosphere is decidedly funky South Austin meets Louisiana bayou, with a tiny stage stuffed in a front corner that nearly always has a musician or band playing. This can make it a little louder than what you'd expect of a cafe this size, but it's not overwhelming. The staff is very friendly and prompt with service and seem to enjoy their jobs. The food is quite good with generous portions, although the fried pickles were just a touch too salty (but very light on the grease, so it balanced out). All in all we had a good experience and will surely be back.
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Review from Wendy R.
Austin, TX
8/14/2010
Emotions are a funny thing. They're like seasoning or a peppery hot sauce--they can make something taste better, or fool the brain into thinking a non-descript dish tastes sumptuous. I say this because I think the pleasure I get from Evangeline's has more to do with the pleasure from nostalgia and memories that this place evokes in me, than with its food.
Evangeline Cafe reminds me of Lindy Hopping to 50's New Orleans R&B, or polka'ing like an unhinged Tilt-A-Whirl around a country dancehall floor. It reminds me of the weekend I spent in New Orleans slurping platter after platter of raw oysters, gorging on cannollis and bread pudding with whiskey sauce, only to lie moaning in the backseat of the car on the way home, sick from food poisoning (it was worth it). It reminds me of gawking at everything and everybody on Jackson Square, from the street kids tap dancing with bottlecaps on their shoe soles to the tourists trying to eat beignets with dignity, as much as one can be dignified with powdered sugar smeared all over one's chin and shirtfront.
So, if you haven't thought so yet, I don't think my review is very objective, or even useful, because I didn't really talk about the food or service or atmosphere at the restaurant you're trying to find information about. I guess the only valuable thing I have to say is, if you feel nostalgic for New Orleans, Louisiana, and an extraordinarily rich culture that seems to be threatened by disaster both man-made and natural, come to Evangeline Cafe. It must do something right if it has that effect on me.
(Oh okay, here's a bone: I had their shrimp po boy and it was great. The bread makes all the difference. Husband had catfish with crawfish macque choux and he couldn't stop eating it, even when stuffed to the gills.)
