Great food! Great service! It was a nice place to go. We sat outside in the covered area.read more

Excellent food - pricy, but you get what you pay for. I forgot to take photos of the main dishes…read more‍. Duck Leg Confit was mouth watering - duck fat kohlrabi, crispy mushrooms, arugula, lemon, roasted sunflower seed. Mushroom + Spring Pea "Ragù" served over fettuccine with parmesan, parsley, & preserved lemon zest - the plate was completely cleaned this dish was so tasty!

Delicious food; inviting atmosphere. Our server, Krystal, was very attentive and pleasant.read more

Part One: VAST…read moreAMOUNTS OF SEAFOOD AT AN UNBELIEVABLY LOW PRICE !!!!! * * * * * You get what you pay for. * * * * * Do you really want to eat a gigantic seafood platter of tough rubbery bottom of the line octopus and macerated formless shrimp chunks? * * * * * The sauce and garnishings do not hide the fundamental nature of what you are eating. * * * * * There is plenty of non seafood on the menu. Go with the non-seafood for sure. Part Two: Other Yelp reviews rave about the fish. My co-eater raved about her chicken enchiladas. My oysters were pretty good. My shrimp were mushy because I had a marinated dish. I think the villain in the proceedings was the octopus. The octopus was genuinely mediocre. Like not wanting to finish my plate mediocre. I think if you avoid the octopus everything else they have is probably pretty good. The one land mine on the menu is one HELLUVA land mine. But all signs are that with one huge exception this place is okay.

Great Seafood and prompt service. Great flavor and you get your monies worth. You would want to try…read moreeverything on the menu!!!!

Noticed this food truck in downtown Bastrop was open late Sunday afternoon, 5-ish…read more I tried the small shrimp and sausage for $15. It came with corn, potatoes, and mild cajun seasoning in a lot of butter (they had 3 or so other seasoning options such as spicy). When I opened the styrofoam container I could immediately smell that strong distinct seafood boil/bay seasoning--a good thing. The shrimp were medium. Didn't count them, but at least 8. The chunks of sausage were large, fatty. Lots of butter and seasoning to go with the boiled potatoes. The food truck plaza has covered dining (picnic benches), clean concrete floors, and a nice, clean outdoor restroom with hands-free sink (soap, hands-free dryer). Nice view of the corner of Chestnut street where it meets Main.

3.5 stars, husband wishes they had more drink options like a sprite for soda instead of just Coca…read moreCola. The food was really good! We loved the fried battered shrimp and the battered cat fish a lot! We did the Friday buffet, for lent :) The service was also great! Very friendly waitresses . The kids really enjoyed the fettuccine Alfredo and both wanted 2 bowls each. I would definitely come back here to try more of their menu items!!

They have a lot of options on the menu. On Sundays they also have a local Mexican/American…read morehomestyle breakfast buffet. Part of the buffet menu rotates, but they usually have scrambled eggs, migas, hash browns, chicharrones en salsa verde, refried beans, nopalitos, biscuits & gravy, sausage patty, sausage link, bacon, oatmeal, fruit (peaches, grapes). Most importantly: infinite menudo. Not pictured are the made-to-order options that are part of the buffet: french toast, pancake, or they can warm up toast or tortillas. Ask when you order the buffet. The restaurant itself is on the rustic, smaller side: seats 50 max (probably less per fire code). There is additional parking next door by Clint's Liquors (the parking lots are connected by a small wooden foot bridge). Feels like a local diner, so if you are looking for something upscale or trendy look elsewhere. I don't want the place to be crowded anyway. Service is friendly. Good food at a good price!

I genuinely cannot believe I've never written a review for Paw-Paw's Catfish House because we have…read morebeen coming here for YEARS and I love this place so much. There are restaurants you try once because they're trendy... and then there are places like Paw-Paw's -- the kind that become part of your family's story over time. From the fried deviled eggs, to the seafood platters, to the chicken tenders, to the genuinely wonderful staff, there just isn't a better spot for this kind of old-school comfort food experience. And the staff? Always SO friendly and welcoming. Every single time we come in, it feels less like "customer service" and more like old friends excited you finally stopped by so they can catch up with you awhile. That kind of warmth cannot be faked, and it makes such a difference. Now let's discuss these fried deviled eggs. Because respectfully... who allowed them to be this good? You think deviled eggs have reached their final form and then Paw-Paw's comes in like, "Hold my beer." Crispy, crunchy, creamy, flavorful perfection. We start most meals with them because not ordering them would simply be poor decision making at this point. I usually get the chicken tender basket and LISTEN -- these aren't sad little freezer tenders pretending to be a meal. These tenders are literally as big as my hand. Juicy, tender, flavorful, cooked perfectly every time. My adult kids are obsessed with the seafood platter: three pieces of fried catfish and three jumbo fried shrimp with fries, pinto beans, slaw, hushpuppies, and homemade tartar or cocktail sauce. And when I say the catfish tastes CLEAN, my fellow seafood people will understand exactly what I mean. No muddy taste, no weirdness -- just fresh, crispy, perfectly fried fish done right. And the portions? Paw-Paw did NOT come to play. Nobody is leaving hungry unless that was a personal choice. What I love most, though, is the feeling of the place. The small-town care. The heart that clearly goes into the food. The old-school comfort vibe that feels increasingly rare these days. Places like this matter. And Paw-Paw's is absolutely one of them.

One of my favs in Bastrop. Always friendly, quick service and great catfish! It's decorated with…read morecatfish, fisherman photos and everything else you'd expect from a small Texas town (although growing and not so small any longer). It is hit or miss with lines. Typically busier during the church crowd window on Sundays. Upon entry, someone will seat you so be patient and kind. There is both indoor and outdoor seating available. Ordered the fried catfish platter. Plenty of food. The catfish is battered and fried to perfection. Always my go to when craving catfish.

Delicious food, fast service, good vibes! I ordered the Texas tacos and my husband got the BBQ…read moreshrimp. Highly recommend!

We came here for a happy hour (3:30-6:30 T-Fr) as they have $5 off all beginnings and discounted…read moreoysters. Here's what we ordered: 1. New Orleans BBQ Shrimp - tasty and a pretty big portion with freshly grilled bread 2. Steamed Mussels - another bigger portion app that had a really nice white wine butter sauce 3. Grilled Oysters - these were excellent and I could've ordered many more portions 4. Clam Chowda - bowl was a big portion and super filling so could've probably just done the cup. 5. Shrimp & Grits - this was just ok in my opinion. We've had way better 6. Lastly ended with the creme brulee which was good but the topping of white powdered chocolate (?) and sorbet was such a weird pairing and did not go well. Overall this would be 3.5 stars. Nothing here that I'd crave and want to come back for but not a bad meal either. Convenient location next to so many offices and Westlake, and plenty of parking.

This is 4.5 for me…read more Southern comfort food and dessert. Love the family atmosphere. For me, the star of the show is the desserts. Her pies and cakes are . I have to stay away from this place. It has become a Bastrop favorite for me.

The food was good. The yam is to die for. My mac and cheese were lukewarm. I don't think there is…read moreenough seasoning on my chicken wings. Gus' world-famous chicken in San Marcos is much better. A little bit overpriced includes their dessert. They were slow, we waited 30 minutes for our food.

Denise J. was great. She took the time to explain questions we had about various items. Brought is…read morea bit of curry to try, to see if we liked it. Yes it was enjoyed. We got the Salt & Pepper with a combo of calamari & shrimp...really good. We also had the Pad Thai with shrimp... that took was really good. Portions are of good size and filling! We sat outside and several dishes/meals passed our table and everything looked good! We like to try different places to eat but this is a "return" location, as to try other dishes!

Had a great Sunday lunch at Ocean Blue. Nice quiet ambience and great food experience. We ordered…read moreBoudin, shrimp Diablo, 6 lemon pepper wings, mates platter, and pad see ew. Everything was great and elevated by the house Thai chili sauce! I did sample the gumbo but decided against it. It was good but could be more flavorful. This was my families first time but will have to make it a regular stop after church. I forgot to take a picture until some plates were finished

CUSTOMERS BEWARE -- mandatory 20% gratuity for parties of 5+, hidden in fine print on the menu…read morecover. What was meant to be a quick lunch stop in Bastrop turned into an ordeal my kids had to witness. When the surprise charge appeared, I asked our waitress where the policy was disclosed. She didn't know. Neither did her colleagues. When I asked to see it posted, a staff member threatened to call the police on us for asking. We finally reached the owner by phone, who pointed to fine print on the menu cover that his own staff didn't know existed. If you're dining here with a group, ask about the auto-gratuity before you order -- and decide whether you want to give your business to a place that threatens to call the cops on customers for a reasonable question.

I didn't like this local favorite as much as I thought I would. It wasn't that good at all…read more I came during lunchtime and it was packed with people. I was sat towards the back of the restaurant near the noisy kitchen and the restrooms. I ordered tofu spring rolls and stir fry dish. The spring rolls arrived at the same time as the main meal even though it was considered an appetizer. The stir fry was incredibly bland and the vegetables paired with it were wet from being washed making the dish itself soggy at the bottom. The portion size was there, but the flavor of the spring rolls too were bland. I asked for vegan hoisin sauce and was told that it doesn't exist. I told them that it wasn't true because right now in my refrigerator I have vegan hoisin sauce. I was then told again that they only had regular hoisin sauce. The spring rolls were thick and double wrapped creating more rice paper around the tofu making it very chewy to eat. In order to get to the contents inside, I had to take it apart. The peanut sauce was disgusting! I have no idea what they put in it, but the sauce was a very light brown in color, too loose, and tasted awful. I got my food to go only to toss it out. I won't be back.

FM 812 is turning into an interesting place to eat…read more Seven hundred thousand million billion people are moving to Southeast Travis County and Southwest Bastrop County. A very large proportion of them are Mexican or Central American. That usually leads to a lot of food trucks, many of them excellent. North Lamar has an outstanding collection of food trucks. The economic driver is the nearby population of Honduran immigrants. Now FM 812 is getting its turn. Ten years ago there was virtually no place to eat on 812. Now there are regular clusterings of interesting trucks - along with some new brick and mortar places and some excellent Mexican grocery stores. Okay, the brick and mortar places are often plywood and concrete slab places. But that still means lots of customers and a potentially good kitchen. Nearly all of the new establishments serve traditional Mexican food. * * * Except Catarino's. Catarino's is run by a former manager of Captain Benny's seafood-in-a-boat restaurant on I-35. Captain Benny's was and is a first rate seafood restaurant - with a heavily Mexican and Central American clientele. They are known for their grilled and fried seafood and a superlative shrimp diablo that is worth dying for. What does a former manager of a good grilled and fried seafood and shrimp diablo place do when he opens up a food truck? Serves good grilled and fried seafood along with shrimp diablo. Catarino's calls itself Creole/Cajun to set itself off from the twenty five other taco trucks and Mexican home cooking trucks located elsewhere on 812. They justify the Creole/Cajun label by serving po-boys .... And technically Louisiana food does involve a lot of fried seafood. But this is basically Captain Benny's II - with chicken tenders and a cheeseburger added to the menu for variety. * * * How is it? Outstanding. My male partner in crime (this time a carnivorous male and not the usual pescatarian female) went nuts over the grilled tilapia. I am not a tilapia fan and avoid tilapia whenever I can. But management says the tilapia is the house specialty. Even stubborn me has to admit this is very very good tilapia. The cajun rice that comes with it is knock your socks off. We both went with shrimp diablo. The shrimp diablos are just as good here as they are at Captain Benny's. I could eat about thirty or forty of these babies happily. (And so could my partner in crime.) I went with a fried chicken tenders with french fries and a country gravy dipping sauce. The house offers Valentina's hot sauce to pour on the chicken tenders. TAKE THEM UP ON IT. The tenders dipped in gravy are nice enough. But add Valentina's hot sauce on top of the tenders for the combo and you get die-and-go-to-heaven good eating. For the record - There are a lot of places that serve awful chicken tenders. (Top Notch Diner - I'm talking to YOU, baby!) So a good tender is a good thing. * * * If you live anywhere near this part of the world, You want to definitely check Catarino's out. But then you probably want to go up and down 812 Eating up a storm. There is a lot of good stuff here. Someday, those food trucks won't be food trucks, And those establishments will be famous. You can say you ate there just when they were getting started.

Been there several times and all I can say is they never disappoint. The food is is so good and…read moretasty. The shrimp diablos are one of my favorite.