I genuinely cannot believe I've never written a review for Paw-Paw's Catfish House because we have been 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. read more

One of my favs in Bastrop. Always friendly, quick service and great catfish! It's decorated with catfish, 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. read more

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Great place! Enjoyed my visit. Friendly people and delicious food! Highly recommend!! read more

I love supporting local businesses and we stopped by Paw paws for lunch. The staff was friendly and our food got out quickly. We tried their fried deviled eggs and onion rings. The onion rings were huge and tasty. The deviled eggs were okay. I could tell that the yolk had some hot sauce added. But that was about the only thing that made them deviled. When we got our fish, it was nice and hot and pretty tasty. My kid got the chicken tenders, it was so much food my kid ate on it 2 days before finishing them but loved the taste. I do wish they had more side options without meat as I am on a pescatarian diet. They're serving sizes, and prices were very reasonable. We would definitely come back again when we are in town read more

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Zero stars ( if it was possible ) within the first three minutes, unfortunately. I'm visiting from San Francisco and had heard about this place from a friend. My mother and I sat down in a booth while there were only about two other parties in the restaurant. After waiting around three minutes, a middle-aged waitress walked by and literally threw the menus onto our table without saying a word. We honestly couldn't believe what had just happened. Was she having a bad day? Was the restaurant short-staffed? Regardless, that is not how you greet paying customers. Especially after hearing such great things about this place, it immediately felt like we were not welcome here. An older woman eventually greeted us after we had already spent a few minutes processing what had happened, but by then we had already made up our minds to leave. Sadly, we will not be returning to this establishment. Bastrop has such potential but not with these kind of working attitudes. Incident: 05/15/2026 2:20PM read more

Paw Paws rules the culinary roost in Bastrop. As with every restaurant we visited in Texas, service was very friendly. We got two Paw Paw platters for people and an order of fried pickles. Every bit of the food was amazing! The batter was crisp and flavorful but also thin and not overpowering 10/10. I do love hush puppies and theirs were perfect. Shrimp were very large and fresh. House cocktail sauce and tarter were great compliments to the food. Fries, coleslaw and beans were also really good. Definitely the best meal we had in Bastrop. read more

Paw-Paw's Catfish House - Fried pickles - Seafood Near Me - Bastrop, Texas

My first impression was the sidewalk windows that were full of a lot of old fishing junk. As we walked in the interior reminded me of a small town cafe--lots of fishing rods, wooded fish, and what I assume were blown up pictures of the original owners. At 6:45 P.M. a lot of the sitting was occupied but there were plenty of booths and tables available. It was extremely loud but got quieter the closer we got to 8:00. Our server, Alli, came over immediately and took our drink order. The beer was nice a cold. She also recommended the fried onion rings for an appetizer that were delicious and some of the best I have had. We had the catfish platter: The hushpuppies were great and defiantly homemade. The coleslaw was very good. The pinto beans were too bland so I added a good portion of Tabasco and pepper. Eating them with the hush puppies made them better. Now, the catfish was too dry and tasteless (the tartar sauce helped). Needless to say, we have had much better even though most reviewers seem to love eating at Paw-Paws. Alli read more

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Great catfish salad. Great shrimp platter. Excellent service. Forgot to take pictures. Really cute, fun place to eat. Portions were generous. read more

I happened upon Paw-Paw's while searching things to do in Bastrop and I'm so glad that I did. Everything on my plate was delicious; from the fried catfish and shrimp, to the sides. It's times like these that I wish I had the ability to clear a plate because I definitely wanted to. The catfish and shrimp were fried perfectly and are what I'd consider to be large portions. The shrimp were HUGE, so don't be taken aback when you see that they offer 2-3 per plate. The catfish was battered in cornmeal and the shrimp had a flaky fried texture. The sides- sooooo good. I really enjoyed the beans, coleslaw (had a slight kick to it) and hushpuppies. They offer a limited bottled beer and seltzer selection. I believe seating is first come first serve. I'll be dreaming of that afternoons lunch until return again! read more

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The fried catfish was excellent and the catfish salad my wife ordered looked great. The service was very good even with a large crowd. The restaurant was very nice with large windows for light. read more

Came here with a group of 8 and the food was really good. The catfish was flavor was good. My friend enjoyed the salad. The service was alright overall. I would eat here again. read more

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My family of 5 enjoyed everything we had! The service was quick and friendly and our waitress Jaz was sweet and very accommodating! The food was all well seasoned and fresh! We had Paw-Paw's platter, shrimp basket and the hamburger. The fish is in a cornmeal batter while the shrimp is a four batter but we were told it is possible to do the shrimp in the cornmeal batter as well if we choose that next time, and we will definitely be back!! read more

Well ordered the catfish platter cause I need more of that fried greatness. Good southern food with options that will make your mouth water for more. Banana pudding on point with real pieces and the wafers with cream... mmmm. As many times I have gotten food here, it's harder and harder to wait to get a spot. Sadly it's the influx of new people that can enjoy this spot. Service is top notch and can spend time with you for your queries in time rashness. So grab a bite read more

Yummy local spot with good vibes right downtown on Main St. Their staff are down-home, service is quick and friendly, and the food is tasty and flavorful. Don't miss out on a Bastrop staple! read more

Since we live in the area, we were hoping that this would be a go to spot. Unfortunately, it did not check all the boxes for us. The food is lacking in seasoning as I've read throughout other posts that is correct a lot of it actually had an old oil like taste to it, unfortunately. The ambience and the staff were mediocre. read more

This restaurant was an awesome find. The place is very welcoming. The food was fresh and served hot. The service was great. read more

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Good food and atmosphere. Catfish was crispy and very tasteful. Not soggy at all. Great service as well.

Great food here at Paw Paw's Fried shrimp great breading Fried catfish Was clean tasting and not mushy Beans were very good We skipped coleslaw Side salad was best side salad I've had at a restaurant in a while Fresh lettuce Spinach Service was excellent we sat outside Never had a want Ambiance inside was LOUD and fish related but again we ate outside on sidewalk I recommend you try this joint We split the plate Two salads two teas Under $30 Great value in downtown Bastrop read more

The fish and shrimp are always fresh and delicious. Service is great! This is the place to go when you want seafood in a casual setting.

Stopped in Bastrop starving on our way to Austin and I'm so glad we discovered Paw Paw's. The food was so good, so fresh, so hot and served so quickly by the nicest waitstaff. Definitely would make the drive from Austin just to eat there. Plus, it was so affordable a huge platter with catfish, shrimp, hush puppies, french fries, beans, and coleslaw for like 15 bucks! read more

Fair. I love catfish and shrimp but this place fell short of my expectations. Had the combo platter and the corn meal had little flavor. The tartar sauce also lacked traditional flavor. Oh I wanted it all to be amazing. read more

This place has it all. You have a quaint location - right on the downtown stretch facing the main street - in your "typical, classic, right out of Texas Highways" small town downtown. You have a family-owned business. You have plenty of natural light from large widow best used to "people watch" those strolling iconic streets. We had fantastic service, and fantastic food. We rolled through Bastrop on our way back from College Station - and we found Paw Paw's - you guessed it - using Y E L P! So glad we stopped in; as a matter of fact, our short visit on the main drag where Paw-Paw's is located made us DEFINITELY want to go back and spend more time in this cute town. Honestly, I'm not huge on catfish - in my mind it's one of those things that tastes the same regardless of what is done to it... However, this experience was awesome - the fish was large, crispy, and juicy. The shrimp were larger than expected. Additionally, I opted to add some chicken - which was also perfectly breaded, juicy, and lest I forget...MASSIVE! We definitely took food home. The type of fries they serve (breading, etc.) were my favorite - don't miss out on their fries. WHEN we go back to Bastrop - we're definitely eating here! read more

Paw-Paw's Catfish House - Seafood Near Me - Bastrop, Texas

My brother and I were on our way from Katy to Rock Rock for a friend's retirement party. I was lunch time and he had recently ate at this restaurant in d/t Bastrop called Paw-Paw's catfish House. So we stopped by. Waiter was supper nice. I got the patty melt & ffs and he got the club sandwich onion rings. I said crispy ffs. I got my wish. They were crunchy good. The melt was loaded with cheese and grilled onions and a huge patty. This sandwich was amazing. Very filling. My brother is a club sandwich connoisseur and he said it is one of the best he's ever had. And huge onion rings. Food was great. Prices fair. Next time perhaps the catfish. read more

The fried shrimp platter was outstanding and had huge pieces of shrimp that were perfectly fried and battered. We also had the catfish which was good but not my favorite. It was cooked really well and prepared really well, so nothing on the restaurant for that. It just wasn't my taste of fish! I did, however, eat a lot of my husband's fried shrimp, which was outstanding. The service was really great, even though it did take a while for our food, but I believe that's indicative of how delicious it was since it was made so fresh the ambience was great with lots of great windows and it was crowded which was a good sign. The server was really kind and obliging with our request for the check pretty quickly since we were trying to make a show that same evening in Bastrop this is a place. I will visit again and again when I'm in Bastrop. read more

I took my boss to Pawpaw's Catfish in Bastrop last week and they did not disappoint! Our server Gracelyn was very attentive. She recommended the onion rings for the appetizer and they were some of the best I have ever had. My boss got the shrimp platter and he really enjoyed it. I decided to try the grilled shrimp salad and the grilled shrimp were excellent! I'm not a big fan of a spinach salad but it was still really good. The place was decorated for Christmas and that gave it somewhat of a festive feel. Gracelyn was so attentive we did not have to flag down anyone for anything the entire meal. She got us extra napkins, she got us drinks to go and she was very friendly. read more

Paw-Paw's Catfish House - Grilled shrimp salad and onion rings. - Seafood Near Me - Bastrop, Texas

Great home town seafood joint! Located downtown in a cute area of Bastrop. The staff was super friendly and helpful. They have a cute dining area indoors or some street seating right outside. The food was delicious and fried beautifully. The burger was a little lacking and tasted like a frozen patty, but it is a fish place so....get the fish! Everything was priced very reasonable. Overall a great experience and we will be back. read more

Paw-Paw's Catfish House - Seafood Near Me - Bastrop, Texas

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This place used to be a good place to eat at but the food is now gross as well as the restaurant itself. We were served raw chicken, not sure how you mess up fried chicken, and the side dishes tasted like they were weeks old. Cleanliness is definitely not a priority and the wait staff just stand in the back on their phones and bad mouth customers. We were seated near the back and could plain as day hear the servers talking about customers in inappropriate ways. There are a lot of new restaurants and businesses opening up around Bastrop so the only advice I can give is do better. read more

Haven't been here in several years and decided to pop by- WE WILL BE BACK! Food was hot, crispy, and delicious. We had fried pickle spears as an appetizer and they were absolutely perfect. 10/10 read more

Oh my goodness! The best fried catfish and shrimp, including the onion rings and fries!! Janice was our waitress and was outstanding. I'd give 10 stars! read more

This is the place to go in Bastrop if you are looking for a plate of fried fish and the standard fixings. Food is good quality and generous portions. The place is popular and often crowded, so you might have to wait a bit during peak hours, especially on weekends. Prices are reasonable. This is definitely a spot that the locals frequent and it has that vibe if you know what I mean. Generally quiet, except when it is super busy. No blasting music or TVs everywhere. Just a good place to enjoy some comfort food without a lot of hoopla going on around you. The service can sometimes be hit or miss, just depends on who you get as a waiter/waitress. However, at worst it isn't that bad. The place is so small you can usually flag down your server fairly easily, but occasionally you might have to. read more

Such a great place. We were in town for weekend and stumbled on Paw-Paw's. What a pleasant surprise. Prices and portion sizes are great! Love the decor and homey feeling. read more

I was excited to try this place in cute Historic Bastrop. My family and I sat outside and the waitress was very understanding of our crazy dog. I got the Fried Catfish salad. It was huge, very filling, with bleu cheese dressing. I forgot to ask for no bacon so I had a fun time trying to pick off all those pieces. The catfish was super moist and tender, very well fried. The hush puppies were lacking in flavor. Would not get that again. Happily surprised by this cute local staple! read more

Paw-Paw's Catfish House - hush puppies - Seafood Near Me - Bastrop, Texas

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Friendly professional staff, clean restaurant food was served warm and delicious Only drawback is they don't have a very good patio to sit outside on nice days to enjoy your food. read more

Stopped in for Sunday lunch. Food was really good. We ordered an appetizer and a Platter to split. Was enough to feed us both with leftover chips to take home. Really glad we stopped by during our visit to Bastrop. read more

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Decided to stop at paw-paw's after walking around historic bastrop. Ordered fried deviled eggs because he was ever heard of that. It wasn't bad, but the breading took away from the flavor of the yolk mixture. The fried shrimp basket came with 6 jumbo shrimp which were very flavorful, breading wasn't too heavy and the shrimp weren't over cooked. I'm not a fan of French fries that have the breading seasoning as I feel the potato alone makes the fry. The hush puppies also had good flavor. A couple of us ordered burgers which looked okay and my husband got the blacked catfish which he enjoyed very much. Overall if you fried food this is a good place to go. read more

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Delicious, fresh, made to order fried. Catfish- yum! Service was great, accommodated our change of order requests and actually followed through! The place is laid back with plenty of seating. read more

Paw-Paw's Catfish House - Catfish basket with green beans - Seafood Near Me - Bastrop, Texas

My son and I had the pleasure of enjoying lunch at this great new restaurant we discovered today. We were strolling around Bastrop after spending the morning at the Corvette Invasion car show when we spotted this place. The exterior looked inviting, so we decided to give it a try--and I'm glad we did. We both ordered Maw-Maw's Classic Burger with cheese, and after a very short wait, our food arrived. We were immediately impressed by the size of the burgers--they were huge! But the real surprise came with the first bite. Juicy, flavorful, and perfectly cooked, we both agreed it was one of the best burgers we've had in a long time. The service was just as impressive. Our order was taken almost immediately, and our waitress was extremely courteous and pleasant throughout the meal. It made the experience even more enjoyable. We can't wait to return! read more

Great Catfish, and chicken. Love the location. Great staff. Watch out for the coleslaw.... Pretty spicy.

Service was amazing and food was so so good. I will go back next time I'm Bastrop. I recommend it to anybody hanging out there for lunch. read more

Paw-Paw's Catfish House - Seafood Near Me - Bastrop, Texas

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Great local spot for shrimp and catfish! Based on a friend's suggestion and great reviews on Yelp, we decided to check this spot out and it lived up to the hype. Surprisingly, we got seated without wait around 7pm on Friday. Tried the fried deviled eggs which were a nice opener to the experience. The catfish and shrimp baskets have the perfect amount of food for a good price. I got four jumbo shrimp, fries and hushpuppies in my basket. Food was freshly cooked and tasty. Waitstaff was friendly and expedient. Comfortable atmosphere, and even though just about every table was occupied the noise level wasn't bad. Happy to add this to our list of dining spots! read more

Paw-Paw's Catfish House - Shrimp basket - Seafood Near Me - Bastrop, Texas

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