First time to visit. Had a completely enjoyable experience a couple of weeks ago. My Shrimp & Grits was delicious, as was my wife's Redfish. We are seniors and one of our party has serious limitations on her diet. The server willingly worked with her to design a delicious meal. The owner made a complete round of all of the tables and sincerely solicited comments. We will be back! read more

It's Resurrection Sunday! No Crowd. No Line. First to be Seated. Apps: Calamari - crispy and lightly seasoned. Frunch Entree #1: Shrimp and Grits - a delicious fried egg included. Voted the Best! Frunch Entree #2: Short Ribs - tender with in-house made bbq that needs to be bottled. (Slightly burned eggs) Frunch Entree #3: Chicken & Waffles served with a hint of cinnamon syrup included applewood bacon slices. All washed down with the sweetest sweet tea and sour lemonade. *Mudbugs have Grits! read more

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Told waiter I don't like garlic so to advise if any ordered meal would be garlicky to avoid. For meal & it was really garlicky, awful. Later spoke with owner Jeff & said the meal was too garlic forward. He said if it had a lot of garlic, that's perfect Cajun. Thought that was funny b/c I've been going to too 25 Restaurants in NOLA & Baton Rouge for 42 Yrs now & not once had a too garlicky meal. No wonder this restaurant has to survive In Roxie's overflow. Won't waste money next time. Too garlicky is perfect - you've got to be kidding me. read more

The service was great! The place was busy for a Monday lunch. We decided to share a few items. For appetizer I ordered the NOBS New Orleans BBQ Shrimp. It was served with toast to dip in the wonderfully enticing sauce that the shrimp were swimming in. Simply delectable! For the entre we had the Taterfish, Redfish which was supposed to be encrusted in hash browns topped with a light lemon sauce. The hash browns were only on the bottom and were charred a little too much. Served with Grilled Asparagus not a great way to cook as the tops were burnt. The redfish was wonderful but wished it has a little more sauce. Dessert was Bread Pudding - the to laze and ice cream were fantastic but could not overcome the burnt bread pudding. Asked the server and she said that's how they serve it. The restaurant replaced it with an order to go which I enjoyed at home unburnt. It was a little dense but delicious! read more

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We decided to have Easter brunch at this place , it was an old mill house converted into a restaurant and it incorporated some of the original structure which was really nice. I had the creole omellette, hubby had the Taterfish and my kid had the Lakeview Benedict oh and I forgot appetizer was calamari. Portions were big so had to take some home it didnt taste that bad either. Loren our server was great, always checking back to see if we needed anything and if she could answer questions and oh yes she made some suggestions on what to try. All in all great place, great service and great food. read more

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We celebrated my husband tonight and had a wonderful dinner experience! The food seemed to have elevated in quality from the first time we dined here. I loved the Cajun Pasta and Gumbo! The popcraw which is like a popcorn crawfish tail appetizer was delicious! The gumbo was tasty! And the key lime pie was so good! The last time I ate a key lime pie that delicious was in the Florida Keys! The service was very attentive and friendly. The ambiance was very cozy and modern casual. Will definitely be back here again! read more

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Overall, great place for a date night for a special occasion. We ordered the creole black drum, crawfish queso, gumbo, and pucker pie The creole black drum was delicious and unique fish plate with a special savory and creamy sauce with some sweet potato. This was on their specialty limited time menu. The queso was good but I feel like was not that special other than it having crawfish in it. The gumbo was a little bit too salty. The pie was a good amount of tart and sweetness. Overall, the food is definitely pricey for some of the dishes for what it was, but the ambiance is also what you're paying for here. It's romantic , but at the same time a casual dining space. There were some TVs that were playing NFL as well. Service was great. Our waiter was very attentive and made sure we were taking care of. We had a Resy credit and this place was part of the network so we decided to go. So if you have an amex plat and you're in Buda, this is a good place locally to use the credit! read more

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We came to Buda from South Austin because I was looking for a specific Poncho hat at the Hays Co. Outfitters and decided to stop in Mud Bugs for a quick bite / early dinner. First, the name of the establishment doesn't exactly do it justice -- we expected a hole-in-the-wall type vibe strictly based on the name but were pleasantly surprised with the aesthetic. Really long bar with seating and plenty of tables. The food was great! We split the Caesar salad with shrimp and the shrimp and grits (it's called balance lol). Mike, the bartender, was so awesome, too! We will definitely be back. read more

Mud Bugs A Cajun Joint - Shrimp N' Grits - A dish featuring shrimp, sausage, and gravy served over creamy grits, garnished with herbs, on a white plate. - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Buda, Texas

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One bite, and we knew we already had to come back again. It is rare I get to go to a restaurant and 80% of the menu is gluten free. Being that it was, making a decision as to what we should eat was a difficult one! To start, we ordered both of the seasonal drinks (Fall 2025), and both of them were delicious. Neither was too sweet, both were thoughtfully made and tasted like fall in a glass. Great way to start the meal! We next decided to get the Popcraw appetizer, and it barely lasted 5 minutes. I loved the sauce that came with the appetizer, but those crawfish and the batter on them were excellent. Perfectly cooked. Crawfish was still tender, and with that extra squeeze of lemon, this appetizer was wonderful. For main dishes, we got the Taterfish and Shrimp and Grits. The Taterfish was fine - white fish crusted with hashbrowns on a bed of broccolini and a buerre blanc sauce. It was nice to eat a light fish after the Popcraw, but I really wanted more of a crunch to the crust on the fish. The shrimp and grits though? Excellent. Especially once you stirred all that goodness together, it was some of the best shrimp and grits I've had in a long while. I loved the crawfish tails in the grits, the shrimp were nicely cooked (smidge over), and just everything combined on that dish was lovely and not too heavy at all. We ended the night with the Apple Streusel dessert, and it was OK, but they have a gluten free key lime pie that I will definitely try next time. Add some nice music, great outdoor seating, a wonderful server who was so friendly and welcoming, and staff who were also lovely, and this was a great experience. We cannot wait to bring our kiddo back for some calamari and to split the pork chops with us! read more

Mud Bugs A Cajun Joint - Shrimp and Grits - Gluten Free - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Buda, Texas

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Lauren was the best server, so personable and kind. She was attentive and knowledgeable. The food and drinks were great. Def check it out.

The small town of Buda is making progress in their restaurant scene and Mud Bugs A Cajun Joint is leading the way with its cool vibe, and good service. I wouldn't exactly call this your typical Cajun food, but more of a Seafood joint with some upscale tasting dishes and familiar names straight from the French Quarter. The texture of the crusted Red Fish was not only, well, crusty, but the taste was also magnifique. Served on top of the risotto bedding and- WOW! The blending of a popular Italian rice with the taste of the fresh Gulf of America fish will definitely have you asking, "Who dat?" Wifey went with the Shrimp and Grits and after sneaking a portion for myself, it was well worth the risk of getting caught. The wedge salad may be one of my favorites ever, or at least in my top 2 for wedges. Lots of flavors happening for a salad. For an appetizer, the Brussels sprouts were also a hit and warrants a repeat try. No meal is ever considered complete without dessert. The Bourbon Street banana bread pudding with rum and ice crème was the final course that was needed to finally put my silverware down. read more

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Favorite restaurant in Buda! Great location, friendly staff, and outstanding food. Try the seafood jam.

Omg this place is a GEM tucked away in Buda! And I'm so happy to finally drove to give them a taste! Our waitress Arianna was the best and even the kitchen manager served us our food and told us a few secrets of how he prepared our food and he was such a joy! We ordered many Espresso martinis and shrimp n grits! And lettttt me telllll y'all those were the best grits I've ever eaten in my 45 years of breathing! He puts Gouda cheese, mushrooms and roasted tomatoes in the sauce ohhhh my word. Tbh I don't even need the shrimp just give me the sauce and the grits and I'd be in creole sauce heaven! The ambiance is nice there is a good sized bar with cute red chairs and I love the custom art pieces hanging around it really gives the NOLA vibe but still a ATX vibe. We will definitely be back for crawfish on the patio since it was raining for Valentine's! No pics bc I enjoyed my time here! read more

This place came highly recommended by multiple sources, and I'm pretty skeptical of Cajun food outside of Louisiana and Houston. But let me tell you, this place lived up to its hype! We arrived around 11:30am on a Saturday (brunch time!) and the place wasn't overly crowded but rather chill. We were seated immediately, and chose the outside patio because the weather was nice. The servers were all quick, accurate, and helpful. Definitely deserved their tip. The food was amazing. We were almost full just on the Popcraw appetizer which was delicious, then our food came out. My wife got the chicken & waffles (she ate it so fast, I didn't get a chance to try it). I got the Seafood omelette with a biscuit on the side. Fantastic meal. I look forward to returning and with more friends. read more

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Second time visiting and it was just as yummy as the first. Brussels and shrimp is where it's at!!! The first time we got plates, this time we opted for just the appetizers and a carafe of champagne for mimosas. Mimosas were perfect for our Sunday brunch! Shrimp were so tasty! That sauce is rich & flavorful. It could use some cheese and spinach, but that's just me turning it into fondue! Ha! THE BRUSSELS!! Don't sleep on them!!! Delicious, charred, all the flavor!!! I could eat just those and be satisfied! Since we had appetizer, we got the bread pudding for dessert to share and it was great! It almost reminded me of a cinnamon roll, which I liked better than soggy bread, tbh. It could've been warmed a little longer too, but overall, it was solid. Plenty of seating inside, upstairs and down & a nice amount of seats outdoors. Reservations have been made in the past. Today, it wasn't too crowded when we arrived just after noon. Walked off our meal around all the lovely shops after lunch, which was so nice too! Good food. Good service. Would recommend trying it out for some creole goodness. read more

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Ended up going back to Texas and trying this beautiful establishment. Everybody is very polite friendly the minute you walk in the horses greets you with a smile make you feel comfortable as well as the waiters waitresses the bartender the manager everyone there is lovely as well as the customers everybody is amazing. I always have a good time when I go there cause everybody makes you feel at home. is an excellent place to go to for their amazing food service and ambience. Want to thank everyone for the nice hospitality you guys always show me when I go there. read more

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We reserved a table for 10. When we arrived we were informed that the air conditioning was broken and we were seated in the cellar. I ordered the red and gold beat salad. It was $15 and small. There were zero red beet and only a few Cubes of yellow. Another person ordered a steak cooked medium well, $47. It was brought to him rare. He sent it back to be cooked more and it came back medium rare. Mud Bugs did take it off the bill. When it came time to pay, we were told we could pay the bill altogether or split it into four equal parts. Since the group consisted of 2 couples and six single people this became overly cumbersome to figure out who owed what and to whom. The manager got involved and wasn't the friendliest about it. We won't be going back. read more

First time in, and will definitely be back. Rob was the best bartender ever!! 10/10, WILL eat here again! read more

Mud Bugs A Cajun Joint - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Buda, Texas

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Omg, if you are in Buda area, do NOT skip Mud Bugs. When I first heard the name, I assumed it was a casual crawfish spot or something. Boy was I wrong. Inside is a nice and spacious but comfortable and homey area with a big bar. My friend and I grabbed 2 seats at the bar since there was a wait for a table. One cool aspect is that they offer a mystery entree every day and they only make a certain number of them. After that, it's gone! We tried the brussels sprouts, meatloaf, and the potato crusted fish. Wow everything was so heartwarming and flavorful. I already want to return to try the ponchatrain dish, or the shrimp and grits! I saw they also offer brunch, which I can assume will also be country fried, delicious and will probably send me into a food coma. read more

I ordered the Bayou fish and chips and the pucker up pie to go. There is truly a nuance and science to frying fish. And without question, this place has it figured out. In fact, I would go so far as to say that it is the best fried fish I have had in a very long time and comparable to one of the famous Soul food restaurants I visited the last time I was in New York. It was absolutely fried to perfection with a delicious house tartar. The side of fries were okay but the pucker up pie was a nice way to finish off the meal (I saved half of the pie for later). This will definitely be a meal I go back to Mudbugs for again and again. read more

Mud Bugs A Cajun Joint - Fish & Chips - A takeout container holds fried fish fillets, French fries, and two dipping sauces, with foil lining and a brown textured surface underneath. - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Buda, Texas

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so yummy! cute place, def a vibe our server Montana was fantastic!! i got this pic, was delicious! my sis got bbq shrimp she loved it( also can yall add a side of bread to menu bc it wax fantastic) my mom got the bacon wrapped shrimp and was highly impressed two dessert- crème brûlée and bread pudding both were amazing i didnt get a banana aspect to it and a glass of wine, margarita and tea total for bill $132 ( not including tip) which is really good for an amazing meal will go back soon! read more

Mud Bugs A Cajun Joint - Fresh Fish Pontchartrain with grouper - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Buda, Texas

Delicious food and great atmosphere. We came here for dinner and enjoyed the refreshing drinks and had some great fish. The location was in a really cute part of town. Great for a dinner with friends or date night! read more

Nice atmosphere, good service, food we had just so so, calamari good, gator bites good romalade sauce tasty. Shrimp and grits not so good, imo too much smoky gouda couldn't taste the grits, shrimp good. read more

My husband and I loved this restaurant!! We were able to get seated without a reservation. They offer both patio and indoor seating. Candles are at the tables and it makes it feel romantic and elevated. They also had a tv after the bar if you want to watch the games while dining. The food was exceptional and fantastic portions for the size. Beyond flavorful and unique. I highly recommend starting with the crab cakes, they were some of the best I've ever had! Can't wait to come back again soon! read more

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This was my first time here. She had been here before, so I was the Newbie. Loved the ambiance. Resemblant of a typical old school NOLA style restaurant for the interior. The exposed overhead pipes in my opinion added flare to the joint. The food: We started off with the New Orleans BBQ Shrimp aka NOBS. Was served with grilled bread. It was very appealing to the palate. Flavorful, with a hint of the Worcestershire sauce that was in the sauce. She has the Shrimp N Grits and I ordered the Andouille crusted Redfish served over a bed of rice with steamed carrots. Very tasty, with a little kick. I sampled some of her Shrimp n Grits and was very impressed. Taste and texture were spot on and the grits were not runny like i've had elsewhere. The cocktails were a hit. That smokiness of mezcal combined with the jalapeño honey and Tajin on the glass rim. Our second round seemed stronger than the first which was fine. Service and food were great. We lucked out it wasn't busy, however I'd suggest making a reservation just in case read more

This is a great location. Reservation recommended on weekends and if you have a group. Friendly staff in an eclectic bayou setting. Nice cocktails at reasonable prices. Food is pretty tasty. Po' Boys are loaded. Try the Soulful Seafood Jam - best beurre blanc I've ever had. Can't resist the Key lime pie. Service was a little scattered. Better communication between the kitchen and the servers might get the Mid Bugs that 5th read more

Mud Bugs had a great menu for a large group with inside and outdoor seating. Both options looked great but we were inside. I think everyone was really impressed with their food minus one. Our servers were on top of things and did a great job. read more

Mud Bugs A Cajun Joint - 2/28/25 seafood salad - A seafood salad featuring shrimp, crab, mixed greens, and red onion slices, served with a side of dressing in a small cup. - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Buda, Texas

We ordered delivery and I got 2 different dishes with very different quality. The devils on horseback with grits were not good. The bacon was undercooked and it crispy at all. Overall chewy. The grits could have been less watery but the flavor was good. The bbq shrimp as the appetizer was amazing, well cooked and flavorful. read more

My boyfriend and I went here for dinner on a Sunday night. No reservations required. We were sat right away. Our server, Zac, was great. We ordered the New Orleans BBQ Shrimp and it was absolutely amazing. The best thing I've eaten in a while. We also had some blackened alligator tail, the pasta and redfish. All good! Definitely a cute date night dinner spot if you live in Buda! Southern feel, and can dress casual. Plenty of free parking too. read more

First off the brunch menu, overall food, and service is exceptional. I am giving a two star review, due to the upkeep of the actual restaurant. Was there for brunch and the food drinks and service were perfect. However half of the table tops where so un leveled the plate settings where slowly sliding off. Our table was Loos and wobbly, which made it hard to eat. The seat cushions where Loos so you had to catch yourself sliding off the bench. Last and most importantly there were natts everywhere. Scooped three out of my drink. read more

Jaden our server was great. Jeff the owner we had a great conversation with him. The good was great and nice atmosphere

we had a great experience (again) at Mudbugs today. The salmon, Brussels sprouts and wedge salad were delicious. But truthfully, the key lime pie was the best I have ever eaten. Zach did a great job serving us. We really appreciated the Owner/Manager took time to speak with us about the food and dining experience read more

Super yummy New Orleans style food! We got the calamari as an appetizer which was super crispy. The marinara dipping sauce was a great addition. I ordered the tater fish that came made with the fish of the day which was a flounder. I've never actually had flounder before and was a bit skeptical at first but it was actually really yummy. I loved the crust on the fish which was like it was cooked in a hash brown. The andouille crusted fish looked great too. I don't eat pork so I didn't try it but I was told it was very tasty. Everything was cooked and seasoned really well. I also thought the inside of the building was really cool. It felt very rustic and reminded me of the buildings in New Orleans. read more

First time and will be back. Big shout out to Montana our server who was outstanding. Met the Sou Chef to congratulate him and the entire culinary team for an outstanding job. The restaurant itself was super cool with great atmosphere. If you haven't tried it what are you waiting for. You will not be disappointed. Looking forward to my next visit and hopefully meeting the owners to give them a big thanks!! Keep up the great work, service everyone there was very helpful and pleasant. Nice job! read more

We were in Buda and wanted a quick bite but didn't want fast food (be careful what you wish for lol). The place itself had a large outdoor seating area and a modest inside, decorated with a blue dog pic and a ton of fleur de lis (it felt very much like what a Texan would believe a New Orleans restaurant would look like). We were seated promptly but that was the only prompt aspect of our service. The place was NOT crowded for a Saturday at brunch time/lunch- maybe 6-8 tables filled (inside and outside). Our waitress came by after a decent wait and poured us water and took our drink order. Only my husband ordered a cocktail. She left and then we didn't see her for a solid 10-15 min (so no food order taken yet). Someone then stopped by and asked if we'd been "taken care of" we said we'd put in a drink order but no food yet. Our waitress came back with the single cocktail and took our order (food and two diet cokes). Then the real wait began. We watched two different parties come into the restaurant, get seated and then leave before orders were taken. We waited probably 20 min for food (a wedge salad, a cup of fruit, and a shrimp po'boy). We finally got our food but no Diet Coke. We mentioned the Diet Coke and then it was brought out after 5 more min. The food was unremarkable and not worth the wait or the price (avg mains $15-30, apps/salads $10-$15, cocktails $8-15). My husband ate his po'boy but not his fries (said they were cold and floppy). My brother ate a majority of his wedge salad (said it was OK), and my tiny fruit cup was only cantalope and honeydew neither sweet/ripe. Overall, this was a real disappointment. It's likely to go the route of its neighbor Valentina's unless they provide better service and fix their offerings. I only took a picture of my husband's cocktail which was the only highlight of the meal. read more

Mud Bugs A Cajun Joint - Bushwacker (the only good part of the meal) - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Buda, Texas

We sat without being greeted for a while. Our drinks took a long time and did not come out together. Redfish was good, but the risotto was cold/ not well executed. Wanted to try the oysters but they did not have any available. I do love this place- just some unsatisfactory service. read more

Mudbugs, let me start with how much I have appreciated elevated dining in Buda. I like your atmosphere, your background music your lighting and your food. I used to love your food and service. I used to refer people all the time. My daughter and I love to dine here, but we have noticed decline in the overall experience. The last time we ate there, we said we probably needed to leave you a review and didn't. Tonight the service was slow and unpolished. We ordered three drinks, and they all came out individually. The food was good, but the entrees need some freshness. A green side like you have done in the past, like wilted spinach. If you are going to advertise oysters, you should probably have them available on a Sunday night. It was a pricey meal, and I left a nice tip. But, I hope you improve soon. read more

We've been several times, the most recent was the most disappointing. Service was solid but a few things were pretty questionable. 1) $11 - kids chicken tender included exactly 1.5 small chicken tenders, so small we had to order a kids grilled cheese as well for our 7 year old 2) $44 butter boy steak had exactly 0 grains of salt, pepper, garlic, or any other seasoning on it for that matter. Cook (temp) came out surprisingly decent from a kitchen that would served an unseasoned steak, but as it came it was inedible. Took 3 bites and boxed it up to eat for lunch the next day. When I sliced and seared it in my cast iron with some coarse S&P it was delicious. So strange. 3) after our initial round of cocktails we ordered two frozen margs ($5 menu item) instead we received two $10 "seasonal" (read: strawberry) frozen margs. They were pretty good but ultimately not what we were expecting and 2x the price. At $168 for a couple, plus a 7yo and a 1yo I was pretty disappointed overall. There's a few other pretty solid restaurants within walking distance and I think after this experience next time out we'll go to one of them. read more

I have my favorite Cajun spots around Austin. Heard good things about Mud Bugs so off we went on a recent weekend. Stunning interior; who knew old Buda was this cool! Coolest remodel of an old building in recent memory only possibly eclipsed by The Gristmill in Gruene. First bites were a good start. New Orleans BBQ Shrimp was licking the plate good. On par with NOLA cuisine; the bite of Worcestershire and butter. Gumbo..and this is where things get touchy. Not Roux forward in flavor. Tomato was too dominant. GF also love the appetizer and her choice of a Short Rib Stew (??) was fine. I chose a premium dish in The Grateful Shrimp. Promising but ultimately flawed. Deep fried Bacon Wrapped Shrimp no matter what you throw on top or bottom is a fail. A gentle approach would be better. If you don't have a grill head over to the Walmart on 35 and slow cook them on a panini press or griddle. Then there was the literally burnt "Filthy Rice" aka dirty rice. One inch squared bits of black. How was this served to me? Barely a detection of Crab; Tasso Cream Sauce was there and provided flavor. Wait, online menu said there was a vegetable? Have ANY of your chefs and owners dined at IDK Pappadeaux? Not that I mention a chain too often but it totally kicks Mud Bugs Tail. read more

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Mud Bugs is one of my favorite restaurant establishments in Buda. Located in the back of the grain silo area, it is very quaint with a New Orleans flair. I have been here several times and can always count on receiving good service and the drinks and food are on caliber with what you would find in the French Quarter. Started with the NOBS New Orleans BBQ Shrimp with garlic, shallots, butter, lemon, Worcestershire, white wine. I was literally sopping up the sauce with the bread it was so delicious. My favorite entree is the shrimp and grits with Gouda, cream, homestead gristmill grits, butter, bacon, spinach, baby Bella's, onion, sun-dried tomato, garlic. The flavors are bold and amazing. Might have gone overboard with the shrimp this visit. My party also ordered the red fish special and I tried a bite and had major FOMO and wanted to eat that too! The cocktails are also very good and had a couple of mezcal margaritas to round out the meal. Appreciate the server honoring the free appetizer coupon that was offered at Yelp event. Just can't beat that deal! Overall great experience that I have consistently received from this restaurant. read more

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