Sometimes you should just open a franchise. Don't steal the concept, go inside and talk to the owners and tell them you want to open their restaurant in another city for a one time fee or 5% in royalties. I lived in New Orleans for three years and I promise you this place under-delivers. I got the catfish po'boy and a cup of gumbo. The gumbo was so bland that the only spice I could taste was the salt of my tears. Can I get some catfish with this batter? God, the bread sucked too. I hate to be a buzz-kill but f''n A... Have you ever seen somebody really try so hard that you can't help but pull for them? Well, enter the second star. God bless you Evangeline, but get a new french bread vendor... and we both know that catfish came from China. Did it not? read more

Full disclosure: I don't know anything about Cajun food. When I went to New Orleans I stuck to the fresh fish component of the cuisine and steered mostly clear of anything fried (I said mostly - see review for Cafe Du Monde). But I really wanted to try this joint and, after perusing the menu online, felt brave enough to order something healthy-ish. We started with the gator bites and they were fine. As I was eating them I thought man, to be a 14 year old football player again so I could eat this all with impunity. Anyway. I ordered the grilled catfish dinner and it was a decent amount of fish. The fillets were quite flat and (my stomach communicated quickly) very buttery and/or oily. The dirty rice was fine. The side salad was a nice departure from everything else that could happen to your intestines. My honey thought his was okay, too. We agreed returning soon was probably not a priority. There's no way around it: you're gonna eat something unhealthy. Don't trick yourself thinking "it's fish! that's healthy." You'd be wrong. Appetizers: fried. Entrees: largely fried. Non-fried entrees: covered in butter. It's decadent. It's tasty. It's pricey. A dinner for two with an appetizer and two total bottles of beer (none on draft) was up around $50 without tip. While it was just fine, I didn't have that price range in mind when I pulled into this strip mall and got my good in a basket. Don't get me wrong: some of Austin's best Thai, sushi and Mexican is in a strip mall and I'm happy to pay the price. But for this cuisine, my stomach has dared me to do it again. Just try it one more time and see what happens (in a menacing Latino parent way). read more

If not for Yelp I would have never known I live just around the corner from this place (actually 2 corners). Since, I can walk to this place in less than 10 minutes I actually wish it were farther away so I could walk off more of the calories I consume here. As soon as I entered I knew it was love at first site/bite. I love the dive atmosphere (neon beer signs and Mardi Gras beads and posters) and the smell oh the smell. My first bite here was the Fried Oysters Contraband. There are no words to express how delicious they are. It took all my self control not to march into the kitchen and ask the cook to marry me. I don't even want to imagine how I would embarrass myself if I combined this appetizer with alcohol. I am no Cajun expert, heck I don't even know if that is the proper term for the food here. All I know is I am in love with the food and maybe the cook. The Seafood Gumbo is mind blowing and the fried shrimp and oysters are my new favorites in town. I was pretty impressed to see "Veggie Gumbo" and several other Vegetarian options on the menu. read more

My mental list of places where it would be extraordinarily difficult to keep up my vegetarian ways has always included Louisiana. Not because I'd be tempted by the mud bugs, possum kabobs and gator steaks, or whatever it is they eat there, but because I just don't see there being many vegetarian options available. Well, I've heard that Evangeline might not be tops for authenticity, but I'm no expert, and frankly that sort of thing doesn't matter much to me if it means there's something I can eat! My avocado po' boy was deliciously indulgent, especially with a side of excellent fries. I don't know what comes on a typical po' boy, but this one was loaded down with vegetables (including that crazy fried avocado), cheese and their trademark Evangeline sauce. Lunch prices (I believe it's $6.50 for a po' boy combo) aren't half-bad, either, for an enormous meal. I could do without the Louisiana homage-kitsch, but if that's your thing, they've got it in spades. And I'll admit, it does give it a memorably unusual atmosphere for an Austin strip-mall joint. read more

Ok, I'm a bit ticked off. Yep, the food is still good, but the attitude around the music nights stinks! So, we stop in after a Strange Brew concert last Friday, and order dinner. We finish our entrees just as the band for the night gets set up. One of the gals (been there a long time-way less than friendly) hits us up for $7 each "if" we want to stay for the music. We just spent $75 on wine, appetizer and 2 dinner plates--we're seriously discussing bread pudding, but you demand a fee for the band? Never mind the lost bread pudding sale, continued wine consumption, and great tip for the band, run us off over $14. My loyalty ended this weekend. His mama would be ashamed of his bad manners. read more

My favorite cajun restaurant in Austin. Every visit feels like I'm entering a boisterous small town diner. Live music every night. Waitresses and patrons who seem to know one another. Tables crammed into every nook and cranny. And the food is absolutely delicious. Start with the pistolettes, these crispy and fluffy bread rolls. Then, on to some of my favorites: crawfish maque choux, étouffée, and both alligator dishes. Yes, they have alligator, and here was where I learned to love it. read more

How is it possible that in a foodie city such as Austin, 3 hours from the Gulf and 5 hours from Louisiana, that there are virtually no Cajun restaurants? All praise The Evangeline. Dey done foun' some okra, crawfish an' dat hot sauce! What they lack in decor they make up for in great service and food. Every gumbo fan should try one of their incarnations. So far, my personal fav is the veggie gumbo because the okra and tomatoes really complement the roux. They serve the biggest, meatiest frog legs I've ever had. Sandwiches are very nice, and the pistolettes (dem's rolls to dem dat don't know) are flavorful. The entertainment is generally...well...entertaining, and Lousiana-themed. My only negative is that it's very loud when it's busy, and the tables are so close (because the space is so small) that it's difficult to carry on even a semblance of a conversation, unless you're willing to shout and share it with the 4 tables closest to you. But, it's uber-casual and priced accordingly. Now where's my button accordion? read more

Review Soundtrack: "The New Ron Ton Roulay" Clarence Garlow I made a conscious decision not to review Evangeline Cafe until I had visited a couple of times. I must confess, until coming to Texas I was basically not exposed to Louisiana food or culture, so this is coming from a place of complete ignorance. The Boudin, which I was encouraged to try, was awesome. I could eat this every day of the week. Nom. The Red Beans and Rice were....meh. Didn't blow my socks off, ya know? That said, I love the feel of Evangeline Cafe. It has the feel of a community gathering place. Everyone seems to know each other. These gathering places are in short supply in the deep south of Austin. Basically, south of William Cannon it feels like culture ceases to exist and it just turns into breeder country. Anyhow, I will definitely go back to Evangeline to try more of their menu and to order more Boudin! read more

I like it and I don't like it. There's no easier way to say it. I really like the food here but the place itself could use just a little work. By no means is this a high end restaurant but the food is tasty and just a little dusting would go a long way. I'm not OCD by any means but when I kept noticing big chunks of dust floating down into my drink from the vent above I just about lost my appetite. The same thing was happening all around me and even in my food. I thought surely they dust this place every now and then... A few months later I came back and noticed the same glaring problems. If you can get over that you'll find a lot to like. Friendly people, good cajun cuisine and a down home environment. read more

Best place for creole cooking outside of New Orleans that I've had. Love how it's so close to my home. The inside totally reminds me of a small spot in New Orleans, kinda cramped with live music. Your almost forced to get to know a stranger which makes the experience awesome. read more

I'll likely come back to this place to try more. I like the look. I like the service. It was fast, and tasty. But it's really hard to find really good Cajun food in Austin. I'd heard good things about this, and that it was the best cajun in Austin. I grew up on Houston cajun, and while it doesn't seem like 2.5 hours in a car would make that much difference, boy howdy does it ever! I got the combo with a regular po-boy and a cup of gumbo. I asked to sub their seafood gumbo, but it apparently only comes in a bowl, and I would have to pay more and eat well more than I'd like, so I decided to try the chicken and sausage gumbo. Everything came out really really fast. The gumbo... ..was nice and dark. No filé to speak of, but to be fair I didn't ask for any. The flavor was decent, but it had a bitterness on the back end that told me someone burnt the roux. Bad form. I understand not throwing a whole pot of gumbo away, but you should be able to tell if the roux is burnt before you add the veggies and stock, and whatnot. Oh, and speaking of the whatnot...there's not okra in your gumbo?? None in my cup, anyway. That's just wrong in my book, if you're going to have a dish who's name MEANS okra, perhaps you should throw some in. The chicken was shredded up and okay, but the sausage (I only tried a bite. I know I don't really eat the stuff)...it was mushy and disappointing. The Po-Boy... ...was impressive-looking. Fried crawfish tails, lettuce, tomatoes, and pickle slices on the side with choice of sauce. I took my waitresses advice and went with a combo of remoulade and jalapeno aioli or somesuch. The crawfish had a perfect texture with a cornmeal batter. It could've used a little salt, though. I'm not a huge salt person, but a bit more would have been perfect. The sauces on the bread were indistinguishable from each other and from the rest of the sammich. The whole thing was large and filling and had some nice flavors working there, but just fell short of a flavor explosion in my mouth. In fact, the fact that I had to add garlic hot sauce to everything I ate there either shows that I'm addicted to salt, vinegar and spice, or that I just haven't found truly awesome cajun food here in Austin. read more

ouch, Yelp. That's the sound of my heart breaking! You led me astray. How could you?? Based on the many good reviews of Evangeline, I decided the other night to convince my boyfriend that NO, he doesn't want to eat another hot dog; in fact, he wants cajun food, and wasn't it his suggestion? I don't remember but I thinkitwasokletsgo! I'm so good at inception, I shoulda been in the movie. Anyway, we're still figuring out our new neighborhood, but after a 15 minute detour on the confusing-ass highways of south Austin, we found Evangeline. Starving, I forced the bf to order an appetizer. I shouldn't be surprised, but he chose the french fries and onion rings. They were fine, but nothing special. I went with the fried shrimp with spicy sauce and linguine for my entree (at the suggestion of our waitress) and the bf chose jambalaya. And for good measure, I got an Abita root beer. I hate to say it, y'all, but the Abita was the best part of my meal. My pasta dish was super...blah. I am an 'enthusiastic' eater (read: glutton), and I was done with my dish after about 5 bites. The shrimp were very fried, but not very seasoned. The pasta sauce was NOT as spicy as I have come to expect from cajun food, and it didn't really bring together the pasta and the shrimp. It was just too much starch. My boyfriend's jambalaya was straight up SAD. That sound you heard was Mr. Zatarain and Uncle Ben rolling in their graves. The jambalaya was like some kind of weird cajun-esque fried rice. Not to say I'm an expert, but the jambalaya I'm familiar with is mirepoix mixed into rice with distinguishable grains, mixed with cajun seasoning and flavorful pieces of chicken and sausage and seafood, etc. Evangeline's jambalaya was not that. Did we order the wrong things? I feel like our dishes were very standard items of cajun fare, and my dish was actually a 'specialty' of the restaurant! Don't get me started on these specialty distinctions..Restaurants use them far too freely, nuff said. Anyway, all that said, the service was good. Our waitress was helpful and prompt with our order, but the good service is not enough to bring me back for bad food. To seal the deal, a beetle was crawling across the floor as we got our check back. See you never, Evangeline. Yelp, I expect an apology. read more

Fantastic local Brodie Lane gem that I have passed over a million times driving to and fro. I neglected to make any Valentine's reservations. Bad husband. So I figured this would be a great spot for an early dinner. I was right. The wife loved the house specialty Speedy's Catfish with Crawfish Macque Choux. Huge hit with her. She has rarely eaten Cajun food but I have no doubt this dining option will be open again in the future. The piece I tasted was melt in your mouth goodness with addition of the crawfish chowder topping. I went simple and ordered a soft shell crab po-boy. I was pleased to find several types of sauce were offered as well as lettuce, tomatoes and pickles. It arrived hot and tasty. I've had too many bad experiences with po-boys over there years. This was not one of those. Fries must be ordered separately, so if you want those or onion rings with your sandwich, don't forget to mention it! We also split a bowl of gumbo. Very tasty with some of the various hot sauces provided. I am always pleased to find crab claws floating on the top of my gumbo! Louisiana beers are available. I am far from an expert on those. Prices seemed right during Happy Hour with .50 off. Before we left, there seemed to be a singer setting up. Our server was smiling and helpful. We will definitely be returning and exploring the menu further! read more

Ever since moving here from Louisiana a year ago, I have been homesick for food. I was told to head south to Evangeline's for a taste of home in the form of good gumbo, red beans, and poboys. I went there tonight and I was completely disappointed. My girlfriend got a cup of the red beans and rice with sausage and made a face when she tasted it. I tried it and we agreed that it tasted as thought it was made with a Zataran's mix out of a box. The sausage tasted like turkey sausage (not good in this context) and hadn't been grilled or sauteed before it was added to the beans. This is pretty important, as that completely changes the taste. Next up was a cup of the chicken and sausage gumbo. Again, with the turkey sausage. The gumbo was overly thick and gummy and had a taste a little like vinegar in the background. Too many bay leaves had been added to the pot and that flavor was really overpowering. The roux was dark, yes, but tasted as if it were on the wrong side of burnt. Another disappointment. My girlfriend got a fried shrimp poboy and didn't like it at all. For starters, the bread is all wrong. It's great bread and very tasty, to be sure. But it is completely wrong for using in a poboy. The bread here was super thick and dense with a heavy crust. The poboy ingredients get completely lost in it. There is a reason that poboys are served on light, flaky bread---the ingredients (which are the point) are allowed to shine. The bread at Evangeline's would have been great for a big Italian sandwich but made a lousy poboy. Furthermore, the shrimp were overly breaded. Once the breading was removed, the shrimp were great--tender and mildly buttery. I think we're both firm believers in not over-breading fried seafood. Just toss it in some seasoned cornmeal and have at it. I shudder to think of what they do to friend oysters there. Next up, the fried pickles. I've had a hard time finding fried pickles in Austin that aren't the entire spears. They were pretty good but, like the shrimp, overly breaded. Again, just toss the things in a little cornmeal. They're pickles, they don't need a lot of decoration. Last, I got an order of the boudin. This was my favorite part of the meal, probably because it wasn't made in-house. Granted, it wasn't perfect. They could have served a slightly spicier version and grilled it so the outside casing was crispy, but it was still tasty. Overall, I was disappointed. It's not a horrible restaurant, but it is by no means an authentic Louisiana/Cajun/Creole restaurant. I'm about to just stop looking. It's not like I expected to move here and eat the same things I did back home, but I kept seeing all these places advertising Louisiana food. Also, some of the prices were just insane. $8 for a coffee mug of seafood gumbo? Really? So not worth it. read more

The food here was really good and there's a lot on the menu I want to try so I'll be coming back. It's a really cozy and cool hang out atmosphere, I had the Catfish basket it was definitely tasty, my wife had the avocado po'boy and she destroyed it. The only thing really keeping me from 5 staring this place is that the drink section is kinda small but it's a pretty minor issue when I go back if I have a great experience again I'll probably just edit this to 5 stars cause the place is just that good. read more

Where do I start? * Service was horrible. My beer was empty, and the wait staff reached over my shoulder, shook my beer bottle to make sure it was empty, and took it without asking if I'd like another drink. No one checked on us other than to remove empty glasses from our table. It was like they were trying their hardest to rush us out. * The food was worse than horrible. All three of us felt sick later. My chicken fried steak even had a bad taste, like it was spoiled. My husbands jumbalaya was overcooked, dry, and had zero spice or flavor. I will never step foot in that place again. I don't quite get the reviews? read more

I want to lurve Evangeline Cafe, really I do. It's in my hood and I digs me some Cajun food, but... It's way too crowded with tables--removing just one 4-top would make a HUGE difference. On nights wihen there's live music (which I usually enjoy), you have to YELL to speak to the person sitting next to you, and that kind of sucks. Though the fried stuff is tasty, I've found the gumbo and the etoufee really lacking. The etoufee was just plain bland. And the gumbo lacked body and complexity. Also? I think the prices are a tad too high for what you get. And the "kids menu" completely lacks originality--every single thing on it is fried. read more

Bland uninspiring food! My girlfriend wanted etouffee and so we decided to try Evangeline Cafe. I don't know why so many people love this place. First of all, it is dark as a cave in there, if you are not sitting directly by a window. She got the crawfish etouffee and I got the Gold Band Creole which is fettuccine with fried shrimp and spicy sauce on top. It sounded good. My girlfriend's etouffee was watery tasting with no spice. It was mostly a rice bowl. My pasta was likewise tasteless and then on top of that they had the nerve to burn my shrimp. When I called the waitress over to take the food back, she asked, "Oh, is it too hot?" Nothing against her, but really??? These people think this bland, tasteless food is too spicy? Do you really have people complain about that? The waitress was nice and so we left her a tip. Enough said. read more

It is good, no doubt about it, you will not be disappointed. I do prefer Cypress Grill, but that is just personal taste. The place is a joint, which appeals to me! Don't forget to get some crackers with your food! read more

Such a fun, crammed, divey, musical little spot. Despite booking 8 of us were crammed found a table designed for four - but it worked. The wings are great, everything I sampled from the rest of the menu is fine (Nola style food just isn't my thing - I'm never going to wax lyrical about gumbo or red beans and rice - it all tastes basically the same as far as I can tell) But the atmosphere is what makes this place 4* - even on a end of month Thursday it was heaving, music volume was perfectly pitched, the band were good and the staff, although run off their feet, were friendly and accommodating and never let my glass run dry. Wine and beer only at the bar - but their Chillean Sav Blanc is very drinkable. Which all made for a golden tinted evening. We'll be back for midweek revelry sometime I'm sure! read more

I was so excited about coming here! It had been way too long since I'd had me some cajun love and I was really exited about the thought of some yummy gumbo and other LA delicicies. I arrived with my friends round about 7:00 on a Saturday night, knowing it was going to be packed and we were not disspointed. This was not terribly annoying, though, since it is cajun food after all, and the people that make it tend to be loud and usually the people that eat it are too. So it was all part of the atmosphere and we did only have to wait for 10-15 minutes for a table. Being pregnant I thought it appropriate to start with the fried pickles. We dug in when the paper-lined basket arrived full of slices, not spears. Yum! They were tart and perfect with the ubiquitous Ranch dressing. The three of us also split a crawfish pistolete that was equally as delicious. Fried bread stuffed with cheesy goodness, crawfish and dipped in some sort or remoulade saucey-sauce. What's not to love? Tina and I were feeling pretty full at this point so we each ordered an appetizer-sized portion of the gumbo that I had been looking forward to. What a dissapointment. There was no tang, no zip, no umph. The roux was too thick, I think, because it felt like grains of flour on my tounge. Even dousing it with the Louisana hot sauce did not make up for the blandness. Dennis ordered the crawfish etoufee and was dissapointed as well. We were all excited when the huge bowl came out steaming and overflowing with....pink cream and rice. Hm. There were a few pieces of crawfish in there, which he ate with relish, but the creamy rice was bland. Salt. Bland. More salt. Bland. Hot sauce. Bland. The fried roll was good.... Given the prices for this place I think our money would have been better spent at Gumbo's downtown. Thanks to Jen's review that's where we'll go next. read more

When you are trying to keep local alive they should do their best to give you stellar service and food. Our order today was not. Cold food that had not been cooked to order, breading was spicy when told it was not. Paid too much for mediocre food. Second chance we have given this establishment and have been underwhelmed on both occasions, sorry to say. read more

Konmen to yê? Very full ........still love the food, even better than the last time, I was there and had the warm and spicy burn in a good way Seafood Creole with a my Avocado Poorboy and Sweet Tea with the special Evangeline Sugar ,Service was quick ,place was clean and cooks wore hairnet's case you was wondering. Will I go back , you bet I will, a girl has too eat .Might as well be good food. read more

To go or not to go, that is the question. To go as in take out...this food is still delicious as eating in the restaurant. After hearing about this place for a while, I finally step into the strip center to find it feels like you're in New Orleans. The food is so great. My favorite is the oysters contraband. Pricey but so worth every messy bite. The shrimp & catfish po-boys are fabulous along with the rice and beans. Their service is so spectacular. They see you coming a mile away and are ready for you the moment you walk into the door. They all have personality and it's a great feeling to be in an establishment with so much pride. Even the front door says "Be nice". Live music is basically going every day. If you are missing Nola, this is a great place to feel a bit of the Big Easy. I've been several times now. I think living so close is going to be a problem. read more

Let's not knock on Evangeline for being in a dingy strip mall. Plenty of good places exist in strange locations, and it's worth the awkward trek. (*Ahem* KC donuts a few doors down!) What earned Evangeline the 2 star "meh. I've experienced better" rating was the food, price and atmosphere. The atmosphere, for me, is cramped, and not in the cute bistro, everybody's family here way. It's just crowded with stuff, especially because they have a stage with live music, and something else I can't put my finger on. I've sat inside and out on the patio (definitely don't do the latter), but neither setting made it better. The price is not compatible with the small portion, poor flavor of the food. And for the food, maybe it's too different from my momma's gumbo for me to enjoy it, but I've tried their gumbo and jambalaya, neither of which were delicious. You guys know that the fresher most seafood is, the less it tastes like old fish, right? I'm not sure why the jambalaya tasted fishy considering it didn't have any sea creatures, but the gumbo was overly fishy, and I didn't enjoy the seasoning. I know what you're thinking. We're in Austin, the ocean is too far for freshness. You're probably right. While there is a dearth of good seafood and Cajun food here, it does exist, just not at Evangeline. read more

I live across the street from this place so there is convenience factor that makes this place even better. It is definitely the best cajun food in town hands down. The owner is a hot-rodder too and the waitresses are all cute as a button and as fun as can be. Im my opinion this is one of Austin's hidden gems. I'd open another one if the owner would let me. Live music most nights, good beer selection and try the "Oysters Contraband", any of the Po-Boys, and the veggie gumbo... read more

Curtis made my tummy feel good. I was downtown and hungry and bored with the restaurant rut I have found myself in, so decided to find this place. Just South off the 290/Brodie intersection, and well worth the trip! It has all the charm a tiny place in a strip mall can muster, with every inch of the walls and ceilings covered with garish beer neons, photos of Lousiana luminaries, Cajun, New Orleans, LSU, Louisiana and related posters, jerseys and memorabilia. Mustachioed owner Curtis is much in evidence, and his accent infuses the place. A tasty ice cold Turbo Dog served in a quaint old Shiner glass started me off, and the much recommended Oysters Contraband did not disappoint. They were spicy and fresh, piping hot and flavorful, with a great sauce on homemade chips. I had a small bowl of seafood gumbo, and the roux was rich and dirty brown, full of shrimp, whole oysters and crab chunks. Milder than I expected, there were plenty of hot sauces available to spice it up as desired. The oysters and gumbo filled me up nicely, and the service was pleasant and attentive as can be. Oysters, gumbo and a couple of beers ran to $28 with a good tip. I'll be back whenever I'm down this way. Laissez Les Bon Temps Roulez! read more

I really love this place. It reminds me of the awesome little hole-in-the wall joints you find all over New Orleans and the suburbs therein. I've been a couple of times and you have to try the Oysters Contraband: Fried oysters on homemade potato chips with remoulade. Damn. Those are fantastic. And there's this Gold Band Pasta...hell I don't know how anyone can eat it all: Pasta, cheese, fried shrimp? Come on, that's just a heart-attack in a bowl. And every now and then, I say, "Clog 'em up baby." The pistoles practically melt in your mouth. I think I've read that they fly them in from Louisiana daily, or something like that. It's like a mix of dessert and bread. I want to take a bath in them. I've also tried the po-boys and been really happy with those as well. This is the kind of place I love to go to for a lazy afternoon lunch when I'll be able to take a long nap when I get home. I've yet to go on a night with music, but you can believe I will soon. read more

People seem to LOVE Evangeline Cafe. But Idk... they are, just okay? My expectations the first few visits to Evangeline Cafe were very high, considering the amount of buzz I've heard about them and the amount of positive reviews they've received. For the most part, they disappointed when I was expecting a great cajun/creole restaurant. But they aren't that bad, and actually have a few pretty good items. The Good: Roast Beef Po Boy, Chicken Fried Steak, Crawfish Pistolettes (appetizer). All three of these items offered by Evangeline are exceptional. I live right by the restaurant, so a weekday lunch special of a roast beef poboy with a side of gumbo for $8 makes me pretty happy. The pistolettes are very very good, and a definite recommend if you're looking for a tasty appetizer. The mediocre: Red Beans and Rice, Oyster Poboy, Shrimp Poboy. All three items are okay... nothing to complain about, but also nothing to rave about. The bad: Etouffee, Gold Band Creole, Crawfish Evangeline. All three of these items were just very bland when I had them. Very disappointing considering creole cuisine tends to have big bold flavors. These were tiny flavors. So while Evangeline doesn't quite live up to the expectations I had, they are far from a poor restaurant. They have a few standout items and are conveniently located. As long as you don't expect the best cajun food in Austin like many Evangeline fanboys have described them as, you may leave a happy camper. read more

Four things to keep in mind when reading this review: 1) We were hungry. 2) McDonald's on Slaughter Lane was closed for 'equipment repair,' and we decided we didn't want burgers after all. 3) We were out running errands and wanted something in our neighborhood. 4) We were desperate AND hungry. (Hence why we went to Mickey D's first.) With a majority of thumbs-up reviews from my fellow Yelpers, the boyfriend and I placed an order here for the Skeeters Fried Pickles, Crawfish Etouffee, and (at my own risk due to the Pappadeaux incident) the Fried Oyster Po'Boy. The best part of the meal, sadly, was the non-Cajun fried pickles. They were slightly greasy but crispy and flavorful. That's the only reason for the two stars. The fried oysters in the po'boy were disgusting. They were dry and tasted like they were on the verge of spoiling. My boyfriend said they tasted nasty, like smoked old mushrooms. I don't think I would have been able to stomach them had I not been so hungry and had the bread not been tasty enough to hide their taste. Even after all that, my stomach felt half-empty. The crawfish etouffee, according to my boyfriend, was a bust. I tasted it, and it was spicy, but the portion was not worth $11.99. There was no bread included, and the crawfish tails were penny-sized. He said it lacked lots of flavor and looked like green slime so he gave it a B-. Whoever said that this is real Cajun food must have been in the throes of a drunken stupor or nursing a hangover. That's the only way I can imagine the food to taste nearly half as good as the majority of reviewers claim. UPDATE 10/14/2011: I'm now the fourth or fifth person (I think) that has gotten sick here. Moral of the story here? Avoid like the plague, which is probably what is in the food. The worst part about it is that the owner doesn't even care. And that's what brings this down to one star, although honestly, Evangeline deserves none. After promising to comp some of the meal, the "owner" never followed through. Well, I encourage anyone who values their health not to follow through with any plans to patronize this place, especially since a few other reviewers have reported roaches in the establishment and that they have gotten violently ill. read more

After hearing so many fantastic things about Evangeline Cafe from the foodie boards, we finally decided to make the long trek out to give it a try. We were seated outside and proceeded to wait approximately 30 minutes for a server to come take our drink orders. Thirty minutes is a looooong time to wait after you've driven 45 minutes to try something new. Normally we'd leave after about 15 minutes, but we were in a strip center and the only other option around was donuts. Though in hindsight I wish I'd gone for a nice fluffy chocolate glazed, but I digress. We ordered our appetizer and the Oysters Contraband was very tasty so I'm giving them two stars for that. Hub got some sort of seafood fettucini that tasted like nothing, and I ordered the fish something or other that the waiter recommended. I know, vague, but nothing really made much of an impression on us. I also ended up getting very sick a few hours later, so yeah, there's that. I was pretty disappointed with the experience because I am a hardcore Cajun and Creole fan, but I was left feeling underwhelmed and with a tummy ache. I'd consider going back because so many have had such great experiences there, but only if my dinner was free and someone hired me a car, driver and yummy cocktail in a to go cup for the long ride. read more

I went here last Friday for the first time..... I am going to unpack my adjectives about this place now: Inviting, different, family friendly, birthday party/get together thing a ma bob friendly, fragrant, spicy, memorable, affordable, cajun, good crawfish, good bread pudding, conveniently located, tight parking, clean, busy, and definitely similar to what you would walk into on Bourbon Street... This is right off of Brodie and the parking took us some time because there is not a lot of extra space for cars around here, but no biggie... read more

It is amazing what a difference a door can make. On one side of the door, the outside, you have a sterile way-south-austin stripmally parking lot where you may sit and wonder: "What am I doing here? Is this my beautiful wife? South Austin is cool, but what is happening here? Where is my large automobile?". On the other side of the door ... (or was it a rip in the space-time continuum I walked through??)... you find....in a slightly darkened atmosphere...same as it ever was... Whoo-wee! Friendly, friendly folks serving up some tasty Cajun food! I've been here for the oysters, the dirty rice, the boudin and all were perfectly good. I might like some of the food at "Stuffed" a tad better, but the feeling inside Evangeline more than compensated. I almost felt like Captain Kirk, stuck inside the Nexus. read more

SWEET JESUS ON A SALTINE CRACKER WITH A GLASS OF FRUIT PUNCH GET YOUR MOUTH TO EVANGELINE CAFE!! I haven't been living in Austin very long, but I've seen a map or two in my lifetime and I know New Orleans is a mere 8 hours away. Using that logic, I figure I could find a solid creole joint. Mission accomplished. The second I walked in, this place looked like someone shoved the city of New Orleans into a wood chipper and let 'er rip. Jazz decor, Saints stuff, alligators, beads, all that Mardi Gras crap we've come to know and love. But the food? Lawd a'mercy THE FOOD! Spectacular. I got the lunch combo with a bowl of gumbo and a crawfish po'boy. At first bite, I wanted to flash my boobs to the staff. As I continued eating, I wanted to dance down the street to that song about "marching in...". The gumbo was dense, smoky, delicious, and hearty enough to give my belly a warm hug. The po'boy was just as terrific. Eating seafood in Austin is always a gamble, but Evangeline handled it. The crawfish are fried and the flavor is subtle and perfect as it blends with the "Evangeline sauce" (which is really remoulade and I highly recommend it) on a soft French bread. I'm already looking forward to revisiting the Evangeline Cafe. This time I might awdah with a N'awlins accent. (But probably not.) read more

Came in on a Friday night with my bf and his parents. We arrived at 6:30... Were seated immediately. By the door and the was awful bc it was cold and every time it opened I was freezing. By 7 the place was packed and they had a wait for 30 mins. The beer list is Limited to ABITA beers. That's fine by me bc I like the purple haze! The decor is straight up like you are in Louisiana. Very fun!!! I ordered the shrimp and oyster platter. It came with a salad. The Thousand Island dressing tasted homemade, it was great, the rest of the salad was average just lettuce. I thought was shrimp and oysters were on the small side. And the batter was just ok. I prefer corn mill. Our waitress Katie was very fast. I'm sure I will be back and will try something else! read more

It is so odd when you find a great place like this in a suburban strip mall. But there it is... Great Cajun food. I had the Oysters Contraband and a cup of Gumbo. The fried oysters were big, and each was served on an awesome homemade potato chip. Six of these big rascals on a bed of shredded iceberg lettuce and topped with a "spicy" remoulade. It was not so spicy, and tasted alot like thousand island dressing, but was still very good. I ate the left over remoulade with the lettuce. The Gumbo was solid. Nice and "dirty", with a clean finish. It was lunch time, or I would have washed it down with an Abita. Instead, I had a good cup of Community Coffee and one of their pecan praline stuffed Pistolettes. Really sweet, but really good. Think pecan pie stuffed donut. Their menu was pretty extensive, with many interesting looking entrees. And the lunch specials are a great deal, and carry over to Saturday. I'll be back! read more

Emotions are a funny thing. They're like seasoning or a peppery hot sauce--they can make something taste better, or fool the brain into thinking a non-descript dish tastes sumptuous. I say this because I think the pleasure I get from Evangeline's has more to do with the pleasure from nostalgia and memories that this place evokes in me, than with its food. Evangeline Cafe reminds me of Lindy Hopping to 50's New Orleans R&B, or polka'ing like an unhinged Tilt-A-Whirl around a country dancehall floor. It reminds me of the weekend I spent in New Orleans slurping platter after platter of raw oysters, gorging on cannollis and bread pudding with whiskey sauce, only to lie moaning in the backseat of the car on the way home, sick from food poisoning (it was worth it). It reminds me of gawking at everything and everybody on Jackson Square, from the street kids tap dancing with bottlecaps on their shoe soles to the tourists trying to eat beignets with dignity, as much as one can be dignified with powdered sugar smeared all over one's chin and shirtfront. So, if you haven't thought so yet, I don't think my review is very objective, or even useful, because I didn't really talk about the food or service or atmosphere at the restaurant you're trying to find information about. I guess the only valuable thing I have to say is, if you feel nostalgic for New Orleans, Louisiana, and an extraordinarily rich culture that seems to be threatened by disaster both man-made and natural, come to Evangeline Cafe. It must do something right if it has that effect on me. (Oh okay, here's a bone: I had their shrimp po boy and it was great. The bread makes all the difference. Husband had catfish with crawfish macque choux and he couldn't stop eating it, even when stuffed to the gills.) read more

Mmmm...I'm at my desk thinking about the crawfish-stuffed pistolettes. Fried bread. You do like fried bread, don't you? Fried bread (that I heard they have flown in from New Orleans) stuffed with crawfish in a creamy, creamy sauce. It's really one of the best things a girl can put in her mouth. I love the down-home vibe here. There are blues band posters all along one wall, cutesy southern knick knacks, and people who really know one-another. I don't care for a live band in a tiny venue, but they have seating outside if you are trying to avoid it. I really like the food. My man-meat LOVES the food. Oh, and they have great t-shirts! read more

Love, love, love, love, love. Love. My mom is from New Orleans so I grew up with homemade gumbo, mirleton, crawfish, etouffee - the whole nine yards. This means I'm picky as hell when it comes to Cajun food, because most of the time mama can make it better. (Okay, all of the time - except with poyboys, since you might as well get those out.) Well, I was so happy to find out about Evangeline Cafe and I can't wait to go back again and again on those days when I'm not pretending to be healthy. It is the best! Be aware that it gets pretty packed and you could well have a line, even during the week. Still, everyone is super friendly and the food comes out fast, hot, and delicious. I cannot wait to go back. And to take my mom when she's in town! read more

Stopped by for lunch yesterday because I heard great things about this place. Place wasn't super busy when we arrived(party of 2) and we were sat down instantly. Since I wanted to make sure the food arrived quickly, we went ahead and ordered right away when the waitress came by. A couple other groups sat down after us with larger parties and ordered after us but somehow received their food before us. We ordered off the lunch menu which should be fairly quick but after 20 mins from ordering, still no food. I ended up having to take my food to go since I needed to get back to work. Their excuse was being short staffed which doesn't make sense when others with bigger groups got their food before us and we didn't order anything complicated. On top of that, food was bland and not that great. Disappointed and probably will not try again. read more