Mud Bugs A Cajun Joint

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.

I was super excited to try this place. We came in on a Friday so it was very busy, which is to be expected. I thought sitting at the bar maybe we would have faster service than sitting at a table. Unfortunately that was not the case. We had to constantly waive the bartender down and wait long periods of time to order a drink, get a refill on water and put in our food order. To try to make things simple we put the appetizer, salad, entree and dessert order all at once. Again we were met with disappointment. The appetizer and salad we ordered was delicious but we waited forever for our entire. Since it took even longer to get the employees attention to ask about our order that also added more time to the wait. It's as if they were ignoring us as we were trying to get someone's attention. Finally when they went to check on our order they let us know they never put the entree in and that it would take 45 min or so before we could even get our meal. We had already been there for almost two hours so it was a bust and we decided to leave.I was super excited to try this place but giving the service and lack of attention I don't know if I'll come back. Hopefully your experience is much better and maybe sit at a table and not the bar.

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.

Sometimes one can be fooled by a façade or advertising, thus robbing them of a wonderful opportunity. For instance, I'm always on the lookout for interesting culinary endeavors, in particular distinct cuisines like, shall we say, Cajun? So, when I came upon MudBugs website I was less than impressed & honestly when I drove past it, I couldn't see it from the street. Well, my friends while the website doesn't exactly inspire enthusiasm, the restaurant itself is far more sophisticated & worthy of a visit. As I previously mentioned Mudbugs doesn't have "curb appeal" as it's behind a store but when you walk in, the joint is rocking! I wondered in on a Saturday around 6pm & it was booked solid; luckily, I was able to belly up to the bar w/ a female companion. The facility has high, open ceilings, that of an old school train station so the noise level is more tolerable. There's a few Fleur-de-lis emblems hanging around, an homage to the namesakes' roots of the Bijou. The tables are elegantly basic, sort of the antithesis of many lesser chain restaurants I find to be fraudulently trendy. I don't like calling out individuals as a dining experience is a team effort but our waiter Evan was fabulous. He knew what to recommend, was personable, threw out jokes, was quick w/ orders & contributed greatly to the experience. Let's roll into the drinks, shall we?The adult drinking options are limited however they're crafted w/ finesse & care. The old fashioned was refreshing w/ a great balance of bitters & rum. The margarita had a nice tequila undertone w/ notes of lime & pear to round out the experience. My companion ordered the smoldering longbranch & I didn't sample this b/c mentally I can't put smoke & drink in the same glass & enjoy it. However, she assured me it was "ok."As for apps the crab dip wasn't to my liking & I must confess I'm a chef from Charleston SC, so it's hard to gain my favor when so many ingredients mask the purity of crab, especially when there's not much crab to speak of. That said I appreciate the various hatch chilis & jalapenos but it masked what I was after. Next up the calamari was near perfection. The green onions & calamari were expertly fried & the creole remoulade was flavorful but some of the "squid fries" wasn't to my palate. Long tentacles were cut like fries so texture wise I wasn't a fan. Overwise the dish was outstanding devoid of excess grease & a perfect chew. Finally, the wedge salad was pretty good minus two points. First Mudbugs, please don't serve the "core" of the lettuce as it's inedible. Next the balance off all other ingredients didn't match the shear size of the lettuce. If they had more dressing along w/ more blue cheese & bacon the balance would have been sufficient. Address these two items & another hit is on your hands. As for dinner I have made shrimp & grits in 6 restaurants, one of Michelin star caliber, so it's personal to me. I was weary reading the description of "sun-dried tomatoes, spinach, etc." What is all this crap!? They're ruining it! Well, I was wrong. The ingredients are blended into an absolutely amazing sauce to go w/ creamy & perfectly cooked grits & plump shrimp. In fact, my copilot liked my food more than hers. Regardless if you're a Shrimp & Grits aficionado or newbie, just get this dish and wait for Nirvana. As for my wine again no real French by the glass to speak of but the BR Cohn Cab was mellow, shallow legs and light while the Tahuan Malbec was somewhat forgettable w/ no noticeable fruits for the nose to sift through. The final plate was the salmon "Taterfish" plate. I thought it was a nice light dish w/ a crispy potato crust adding crunch juxtaposed to the tenderness of the salmon and the flavors of fish offset by the arugula forward salad with lemon caper butter. I thought it was refreshing but my company didn't like it. My suggestion is get it if you're hungry but want something light, a paradox I'm sure. The evening wrapped up & I'm very happy to say while I nitpick as critics do, I thought the restaurant was a resounding success. Although I didn't care for the peanut butter cheesecake or crème brûlée (both tasted off for some reason) there are so many positives to be gained from everything I craved. Don't be fooled like I was by a bland website w/ no curbside appeal. Enjoy great food, good service & creative libations in a safe area of town. Perhaps I'll see you there, I'll be the one w/ a smile, food and wine. Laissez les bon temps rouler! (Let the good times roll!)

My boyfriend was in the mood for something different so I recommended we go to Mudbugs. We began our meal with the Calamari, which was a fantastic start. The calamari was perfectly crispy on the outside while tender on the inside, with just the right amount of seasoning. It was served with a zesty and flavorful creole remoulade.My boyfriend opted for the Soulful Seafood Jam, and it was an absolute hit. The salmon was cooked to perfection. The seafood jambalaya had a spice level that was just right, and the creole mustard Beurre blanc sauce added a rich, tangy finish that brought the whole dish together.I chose the Chicken Fried Steak Friday special, which you cannot find on the menu. The chicken was perfectly breaded and fried, and was served with mashed potatoes. The gravy was the cherry on top, adding a savory richness that made each bite comforting and satisfying.We also tried the Smoldering Longbranch and Embrace the Buzz cocktails. Embrace the Buzz was good but I highly recommend the Smoldering Longbranch.The service was a little slow for lunch on a Friday but the staff are very friendly and make some fantastic suggestions.

The food was overall good. The risotto consistency was a tad bit overdone. I believe they may have cooked it a bit too long. The redfish on top of the truffle risotto was delicious. The calamari was good and on the tender side. They are more of chunks and reminded me of cuttlefish. The key lime pie was delightful! It reminded me of the key lime pies I have had in Key West, Florida. Spot on delicious! I would come back for the key lime pie! Overall good meal. Plenty of parking! The service was very efficient, friendly, and enthusiastic. The ambiance is nice and charming. A great spot to hang out with friends!

A fun Cajun restaurant with an industrial feel in Buda. The restaurant itself is pleasant and appealing. We split the New Orleans BBQ shrimp for an appetizer, which was the highlight of the meal. The sauce is delicious and left us wanting to recreate at home, although likely is not possible. We also ordered the Aviators salad and the OCD chicken. All was tasty, nothing disappointed. However, service was slow and didn't understand our order at first. Don't come in if you want any food in a hurry, but otherwise satisfying and tasty dishes!

I am always looking for my next Cajun meal. This time, my journey took me to Buda to try out MudBugs. MudBugs location: plenty of private parking, as it's located in the Buda Mill & Grain Co. Situated within the Buda Mill & Grain Co., MudBugs boasts ample private parking and resides in a historic area brimming with character. The venue itself is spacious with lofty ceilings, and a tastefully modern yet rustic ambiance. However, despite the grandeur of the setting, I found the cuisine lacking in richness and depth characteristic of authentic Cajun fare.

Excellent food. Very pricey for Buda but very upscale compared to other restaurants in the area. Service is a little slow but not as bad as other reviewers experience. (But, then, this IS Yelp, where negative reviews are the norm.) Wait staff checks back fairly regularly. Very loud, but to be expected for a warehouse size room. Hubby and I would prefer a quieter, more intimate environment at this price point.Menu is a little odd with hard to follow descriptions and offerings, but we love the unusual dishes and spices. Rather small portions but enough to satisfy and not leave feeling overstuffed. As long-time Buda residents, we are very happy to have a restaurant like this in Buda. Overall a very enjoyable experience. Just wish it was more affordable for us so we could go more frequently and not just for special occasions.

I had such high hopes for this place. First off, the staff was unorganized when we walked in for our 6:30 reservation. After waiting for about 15 minutes to be seated, we were brought to our table and our waitress was absolutely lovely. She was friendly and helped us with all questions we had about the menu. Unfortunately, they were out of 3 of the most popular menu items so we weren't able to get the items we wantedThe food: Extremely disappointing. (Except the shrimp and grits!) The "taterfish" was extremely dry and unflavorful. The meatloaf was nothing special. Our food came out cold and at different times. Again, I was really excited to try Mud Bugs after hearing great things but I don't think I'll come back.