Pride in ownership is demonstrated when the owner walks around checking on the customers, thanks them and solicits feedback. Mr. Curtis' concern for customers is translated down from the kitchen to the wait staff. The succulent seafood is sure to satisfy the most discriminating tastes. The food is served hot and is promptly prepared. The wait staff is polite and engaging with just the right amount of attention. I look forward to making Evangeline's a part of our regular rotation when we are in Austin. read more

Honestly, I have nothing bad to say about the food here at all, the food is amazing, and truly thats what I am visiting a restaurant for anyway. What I do not enjoy about this place is the often lack of service, and the wait. I can always put up with the wait (usually a sign of good things to come), but the lack of service in a restaurant that is only 35' x 30' is a little strange. A couple of the waitresses here are amazing and have always been excellent, but there are a couple others we experience from time to time that are just space cases, and seem to hate their jobs. Its one thing to hate your job, but why do I want to come sit down and share a meal with someone who cannot muster a smile or positive comment? Lets be real, thats the only reason this place does not get 5 stars. The food is 5 star, no question about it and we will continue to come back as I am hooked on their boudin and po boys. The service however is only getting a 1.5-2 from me. Thus leaving me at a 3-3.5 stars. Go enjoy the food, its amazing. You will not find a better cajun restaurant within 80 miles, but be prepared for a wait, and understand you might get a less than jovial waitress. **Note** They could have dogs serving the food from trays strapped to their backs and we would still come back and eat there, the food is that good. read more

I spent my college days in New Orleans, thus developing a deep love for good cajun food. There really may not be anything better. I am giving Evangeline 5 stars because it's in Austin and I want to keep it here. It is the best cajun spot I have had in town, and I will definitely make the trip down to evangeline when I have an itch to scratch. If it were in New Orleans, would I go out of my way to eat there? Doubtful. But it isn't. And just like I have to adjust my BBQ/Brisket standards when I travel, you have to do the same with cajun food, to be fair. It's good. The gator was solid. The prices are fair. The decor is legit (though i would like to see a Tulane flag). They have Abita. What's not to like? read more

I was horrified.......... after 2 bites off my plate a roach crawled ACROSS my plate then the table and the waitress saw it. She quickly got a napkin and 'took care of it'. She apologized, asked me if I wanted to keep eating - what?? I couldn't believe she said that! Who the heck would continue to eat that plate? She took my plate, never offering a fresh plate (although I never would have said yes) and then she brought me my bill. I was stunned. So grossed out I wanted to get out of there so I paid the bill - SMH. So bad on so many levels. And, the 2 bites I took were average. Dirty restaurant. So gross. read more

The Oysters Contraband may be the best thing I've ever eaten. They are a must have & may become an addiction! read more

Evangeline Café - Evening at Evangeline - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Austin, Texas

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I am a true cajun and so is my husband. Finding food close to that from home like South Louisiana can be hard to find. Many people claim cajun food, and many are wrong! Not this place though! The food and live music always makes us feel at home. I wish there was a North location too! You can't go wrong here! Sometimes it makes me feel so at home, I am sad when it is time to leave! Be sure to try the dessert! read more

This place was fantastic! The service was excellent and the food was tasty. It's not a super fancy place, but worth a visit.

I'm a little worried about reviewing this as a non-native Louisianian. This place had a really authentic feel to it which was both a little intimidating (I know nothing about Louisiana except from my month-long Louisiana/New Orleans crash course from my roommate) and interesting. My roommate from New Orleans swears that this is the most authentic Cajun place in Austin, and that many Louisiana natives frequent this place - especially during the Saints games. I'll take her word for it. This was also my first time trying alligator meat. Despite the stereotype, know that alligator does NOT taste like chicken! At least it doesn't if you order the Alligator Sauce Piquante. The cubed Alligator meat is chewier - a lot like scallop except with a much less consistent texture. The piquante masked the flavor of the alligator most of the time except for once when I had a particularly big chunk of the meat - then I was able to taste a flavor that was very similar to not-fresh seafood. Meh. Also, although warned by the waitress that the piquante is spicy, the piquante wasn't even able to make my mouth tingle. Guess their version of spicy is very different from the chilies I'm used to. I also tried two bites of the Crawfish Ettouffe. Now this is something I'm going to come back to get. The sauce has a background flavor that is different from anything else I've tasted. The best way I can describe the flavor is one that's a bit acidic, a teeny bit alcoholic - but not really. It's a much fresher and lighter sauce than the piquante, though. Delicious. Finally, the service was very fast despite how crowded the place was. That's always appreciated. My dining experience was slightly ruined by our conversation - of dissections, formaldehyde, and cadavers - but that's purely my own fault. read more

Super mom and pop ish. Love it! It's kind of far out from where i live but was in the area. I got the jalapeño boudin with the fried shrimp basket. My friend got the gumbo we were both very satisfied, I took a boudin link home. read more

How have I lived in Austin for 6 years and only made it to Evangeline last Thursday? Especially being a Louisiana-phile and all. Shame on me. What a gem EC is! In the middle of a nondescript strip mall on Brodie, with an unassuming storefront...but walk inside and it's like you're in a local cafe on Magazine Street in NOLA. So much personality packed into a tiny space...it would take you all day to check out all the cool posters, wall-hangings, etc. Now for the food...my gosh. The actually had great veg options! A veg gumbo, two different veg po-boys...I had the fried oyster po-boy and it was the best I've ever had outside of Louisiana. Bread was great, veggies fresh, and oysters crisp inside the light-spicy batter. I'm docking them one star for the lack of two important things to me in a cajun restaurant: draft beer and hush puppies. Otherwise, I've found my new fave Louisiana hangout in Austin!! read more

Great food, particularly the chicken friend steak, my fiance enjoys the catfish and cajun shrimp. Only thing keeping it from a 5/5 is the location, in a strip mall, small place with cramped seating, we usually do takeout. read more

This is the place!! The food is amazing and the staff fantastic!! If you have ever experienced the wonderful Louisiana, this place will def bring back memories. Authentic!! read more

Excellent go to dive bar slash Cajun restaurant slash place to see a band and have some drinks with friends.

I loved the decor.....very New Orleans (I'm guessing I've actually never been). Beer: Abita Purple Haze= Really good!!! Apps: Gumbo;Susuage and Chicken= just the right amount of spiciness Frog Legs= My husband liked them....it made me sad to eat them, but I did swallow one bite, and it did NOT taste like chicken!!! Stuffed Pistolette;craw-fish= AMAZING!!!!! it is one small little bread roll so if you want to share get an extra....few!! Entrees: Freid Catfish Po Boy= One of the most amazing sandwiches I have ever put in my mouth!!!!! My husband tried it and enjoyed it as well. Alligator Piquante= The husband liked it. He said it had some kick to it. Kids Menu: Grilled Cheese with French fries= "This is the best grilled cheese I have ever had!!!" (picture the little girl from Despicable me and the unicorn scene and that is how she said she liked it). I will probably go back, within the next few days =0) read more

What a great place to enjoy some Cajun food. They had a live band playing and a few couples cutting a rug. We ordered the fried shrimp dinner with salad and rice. Very good. Also the Chicken Fried steak slammed. Gravy was delicious. We will defiantly come back. Next time I'm trying the Gumbo read more

You might fly right past this little joint off of Brodie tucked into a shopping center about a light past convict hill. Do yourself a favor and find it because I gave it a shot with a friend who is well versed in cajun eats and she was pleasantly surprised. The waitress was attentive, friendly, and helpful throughout our entire lunch. It's a very relaxing place to have lunch and add a little cajun spice to your day. The etouffee was excellent and the crawfish gave it a great flavor. The fried butterfly shrimp tossed with fettuccine and a mixture of sauces was scrumptious. I would definitely recommend this spot to anyone looking to try Creole food for the first time or the hundredth time. read more

Went in with high hopes. Atmosphere & decor kept up the anticipation (laid back vibe). Fried pickles were light & tasty enough to keep teasing me. And then the gumbo arrived & left me flat. Have had as good from a can. Every dish at our table (we all sampled) seemed like the kitchen's not giving recipes the love they need. Hope it was just an off Saturday afternoon. read more

Honestly, I don't normally notice places in strip malls. I live close to this place... been living here 12 years and had never been before. My wife and I were in the mood for something other than Mexican, Asian, and Burgers so we gave it a shot. My wife said, 'Wow! It's like we've been transported to New Orleans!' when she saw the inside. The Red Beans & Rice was a little salty, but delicious. The chicken fried chicken and dirty rice was really good. My wife had the vegetarian gumbo and liked it, though said it was a bit spicy. We also had that sinful, pecan dessert. Delish, but MAN I needed a nap after all that. If you're looking for a change of pace and you live in south austin, you should definitely try it. Get you an Andygator while you're there! read more

A favorite. Excellent cajun food! Outstanding service. There is sometimes a wait to get in, but you will not be disappointed. It is good, no doubt about it. The place is intentionally an Austin dive with cajun-junk decor. It's all tongue-in-cheek, which appeals to us! It's okay for you to go there, but don't tell anyone else . . . it already gets crowded. :-) read more

We brought guests from Denmark. The wife wanted to try a Po Boy (after all Danes are world famous for Smoerbrod, Danish open-faced, gourmet sandwiches). He chose shrimp gumbo, a lifeless dish with popcorn shrimp. I had alligator (teenie-tiny pieces in a roux), and my wife had Jambalaya. My wife is from Cajun country and knows what's good and she actually thought the Jambalaya was decent. Two ice cold Shiner Bocks made the gumbo and alligator dish palatable. Glad the place is here and the ambience is sort of ecclectic bayoux, but the fare is only average. We tried to avoid deep fried stuff which this place has in abundance. We may return and consider some other items. read more

I'm not sure this joint quite lives up to the hype... The atmosphere is fun and unique, but it's kind of too crowded and dirty in there to really enjoy it. The staff is friendly and knowledgeable, no complaints there. Really it just comes down to the food...I thought the food was good, but not great. Same for the prices, good but not great. I really would only have given them three stars except for the deserts which are well deserving of all the praise they receive. Which brings me to my final verdict... Worth checking out once, for the experience, but I would drop in late on a weekend night and just grab dessert. read more

We love Evangaline. It's a great local spot. Our favorite starter are the gator bites. They are tender and their remoulade sauce is tasty. I prefer their fish choices, like redfish, but have enjoyed the gumbo as well. Last time I had Speedy's catfish topped with crawfish macque choux. It had a bit of a kick and was delicious. My husband generally orders their chicken fried steak which is a huge meal. The best part is that they allow you to bring your own liquor and will bring you setups. There is usually a crowd though, so come early or be prepared to wait. read more

We loved it. Been here a couple of times and the food was excellent, fun atmosphere (music). Sat at the bar once and the bartender was very nice, helpful and meal was awesome. I told my kids that live in Austin to go here knowing they will enjoy it and I recommend it to you also. The Gumbo was delicious, those little bread things (appetizer) filled with shrimp or crab ?? were soooo good! Cozy and quaint....not quiet, fun. read more

The place is located in a pretty unsuspecting strip mall in South Austin, so I was surprised to see how packed it was on a weeknight. I also enjoyed the New Orleans feel you get once you walk inside. The staff was friendly and helpful, but the food was just average. I had some friend oysters and a salad while my friend ordered the Evangeline pasta with crawfish. Both were decent, but I did find our portion sizes a bit small, and we were both still a little hungry afterwards. In an area with other comparable Cajun restaurants, I would probably pick Cypress Grill or Stuffed Meat Market over this one. read more

Bases don some previous reviews I would concur. Service was quick & at times seemed kurt. But the food was good. The gator bites were hot and spicy. The chic & sausage gumbo wasn't bad either. They have bread pudding but unable to provide a whiskey or rum sauce though it does come with a caramel sauce. Don't ask for ice cream either. read more

Every single time I eat here. I leave full AND with leftovers. The alligator bites CANNOT be missed. Seriously. I love a hearty cup of jambalaya or crawfish étouffée, with a fresh salad, but my favorite of theirs is the crawfish fettuccini or the *favorite* There is live music on the weekends, but make sure to call ahead if you have a big party on the weekend. It's a small restaurant serving one of a kind, line out the door, delicious, Cajun cooking. Amazing every time. Shout out to Sasha! The most awesome waitress ever!!! read more

Frog legs on a Friday they make the best frog legs this side of the Mississippi, busy Friday night and yet staff is always friendly the atmosphere is always right I would definitely recommend this place any night of the week read more

This place sucks!!! Food and service are equally horrible. You can literally go anywhere else and it will be better.

This place is awesome!!! I remember coming to Austin for the first time and looking for a place that was different than the norm and after coming here once I find myself coming again and again. The vibe inside is great, the staff is friendly and on many nights you can catch live music inside. The staff is always knowledgeable on all the beer specials and give some great recommendations! I have always found myself enjoying the frog legs and chicken fried gator, but make sure to get the dirty rice with your meal, WORTH THE UPCHARGE! The gumbo is full of flavor and their green chicken wings are delicious as well! I've brought several people here with me on my numerous visits and they have all enjoyed as much as I have. Having had food in New Orleans, this is extremely comparable to the quality of food you will get there so what are you waiting for?? Get over here already and enjoy a taste of N'Awlins!! read more

Evangeline Café - Frog Legs - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Austin, Texas

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I'm obsessed with their Jamabalaya. It's on the dry side but exactly how I like it (not a fan of the normal mushy texture of other cajun restaurant!) Crawfish basket is yummy too! read more

Being raised in Cajun country, I'm glad I found Evangeline Cafe. The decor and menu selections reminds me of home. The only negatives I could mention is that the dirty rice was lacking flavor and spice and the service wasn't all that great. But, besides that, abita beer, fried seafood, and gumbo equals a perfect remedy when i get home sick. read more

The food here is amazing. You must get the praline dessert.. it's out of this world! Just don't let them seat you next to the door.. hot humid air blasts you and it is terrible. I had the crawfish Evangeline. Atmosphere is great! Just don't come in a hurry.. it takes a bit to get your food, and they are busy on weekend evenings! read more

Come here for the live music. Really, the music here is pretty awesome--if I had to pick one night to come here, it'd be Wednesday night for the Peacemakers, a great blues band. The food's okay too, and if I knew anything about Louisiana cuisine, I'd offer more of an opinion about it besides that it tastes like solid comfort food that fills you up. I was there one of their anniversary nights, and they had great food specials that night :) But other than that, drinks and dancing (enough space for four couples in front of the band) will bring me back here as often as I can make it. It is kind of a drive though! read more

I was a bit nervous when I saw the building the cafe is housed in. I feared I faced a super-generic cafe. All fears washed away when I walked in the door. It was like a portal to your classic mom-n-pop cajun cafe in south Louisiana. Lots of regulars, very friendly staff, and a cool funky band playing live music in the corner. Truthfully, the food wasn't the BEST cajun I've had. In fact, it was probably quite average, but here's the important thing: I would totally come back. read more

The etouffee was quality. Not the best I've had but still good. The Contraband Oysters were REALLY GOOD. The onion rings were the thin kind and also good. The dipping sauce for the onion rings is really good. The atmosphere inside is cool. The beer was too expensive for a 12oz bottle. The waitress was very friendly and did her job great. read more

We had a wonderful waitress who was very attentive, helped us in our choices, and went above and beyond. Unfortunately our food was rather disappointing. We had the chicken and sausage gumbo as well as the red beans and rice-neither had any spice or kick to them. Trying both of them made it hard to tell them apart. I do HIGHLY recommend the green sauce chicken wings on the appetizer menu-those were delicious. read more

Really good stuff. I had the muffuletta and while not completely authentic (in my opinion) it was tasty. I didn't like how chunky the olives were on the sandwich. Besides that.. Mighty tasty. I also had some croc bites, which I was apprehensive to try, glad I did because they were delicious The bread pudding dessert was to die for! Yum! Would definitely go back to try out some other things. Almost forgot to add a little about the atmosphere.. I loved it. It's a total hole in the wall but that's just the way I like my restaurants. It is a bit crowded in there so if you don't like that, this place is not for you. read more

So good! I love everything, especially the fried shrimp po boys. All the appetizer are freshly made, I love the fried gator. Too bad the oysters in the gumbo were not fresh at all and actually had the nasty taste when you get those over night oysters. That was gross to me but didn't seem to bother anyone else, but everything else was awesome, so still four stars. read more

Evangeline Café - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Austin, Texas

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I honestly loved this place . My friend Ray brought me here because he knew I liked trying different types of food. This place serves creole southern Louisiana type food . I had some frog legs (so juicy and tasty) and I also had a spicy dish with alligator in it ! It was unbelievable I never thought it could be so delicious. It's got some complex flavors and great attention to detail. The staff was laid back and friendly. We got seated next to the kitchen and everything smelled great and looked clean . I would definitely come back here. This place has a great vibe and some cool music playing . The bathrooms were decent, the service was quick, and the food was delicious at a reasonable price . read more

This is the best Cajun food in town and it's not even close. The best étouffée I ever had (that includes in the state of LA). Red beans and rice are on point. Always friendly service. Pre covid there was great live music most weeknights. Don't let this gem close Austin. Go get you some. read more