Buzzard Billy’s Flying Carp Cafe
222 Pearl St, La Crosse, WI, 54601
Buzzard Billy’s Flying Carp Cafe Menu
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Address :
222 Pearl St
La Crosse, WI, 54601 - Phone (608) 796-2277
- Website https://www.buzzardbillys.com
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:30 am - 10
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : No
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Lunch, Dinner
Parking : Street
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : No
WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES
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Dustin B.
Loved this place! Great Cajun food and atmosphere. Full bar and excellent menu. Will definitely be stopping again soon.
(4)Brandon E.
Great food! Everything on the menu is good and you won't find anything like it in the area. Service is always good also. Be prepared for a wait on the weekends though!
(5)Robert J.
Very good service and food. I only gave it 4 stars because I had alligator and have not had it enough to tell what is a good alligator meal and a great alligator meal. This is definitely a break from the cookie cutter restaurants in town.
(4)Buzz D.
Chipotle oysters and Cajun popcorn (crayfish) very good--actually the oysters were excellent--as good as any prepared oysters that I've had in oyster country!! The crayfish were big, tender and well cooked--both were served with tasty sauces! Great selection of beers on tap along with friendly service will make this a lunch destination in the future being only 90min or so from home
(4)Omar J.
This is a hidden gem in La Crosse. I have visited here many times and have overlooked it in the past. What enticed me to stop this time was their food. I was feeling like having something Cajun and this restaurant has a New Orleans chef. I decided to give it a shot and I was not disappointed! I can't say I have had authentic southern food but the spice and the taste was there. All the ingredients were there and I was not let down. You have to try their pepper jack bites! They are deep fried bites of cheese that melt in your mouth. It will be the best deep fried food you have ever put in your mouth! The atmosphere was perfect, the building has character and it is warm and comforting. There is a bar upstairs you can have a drink at while you wait for your table. Give them a try!
(5)Grumpy S.
Great New Orleans food in Western Wisconsin just about a thousand or so miles up the Mississippi. From the gator appetizer to the crawfish etouffee, everything was delicious. Good selection of draft and bottled beer. Service was efficient and friendly. Prices were reasonable. Nice atmosphere with many antique advertising signs. I would not hesitate to come back next time I get up this way.
(5)Bruce T.
Do not fail to eat here if you pass through. This place has great atmosphere, but more importantly, a respectable selection of micro-brews and a long, well executed menu. Many of the food items are done in authentic Cajun style. I had the crayfish etoufee, the table shared a appetizer of andouille sausage. Both were superb, and the andouille was made with genuine alligator meat. The service was really top notch: cordial, quick and attentive without being overbearing. The cocktails were really solid as well. They also offer an appropriately irreverent T shirt, but that didn't play into this review.
(5)Vanessa L.
One of my favorite places literally I would eat here everyday a must try if u r in area appetizers amazing try them all the entrees covered in gravy sauces with shrimp crawfish crab to die for eggplant amazing
(5)Tim F.
Cajun Combo is the way to go. Walleye is also good.
(4)annie m.
It was okay but insanely salty! All of our dishes (jambalaya, primavera) were over seasoned. The chicken in my Cesar salad was cooked well, though.
(2)Joseph B.
Great service, great food & great beer. Hands down the best meal I've had in a long time. Will definitely be returning when I come back to lacrosse.
(5)Tara M.
Food is pretty good, pretty similar to New Orleans Cajun but very, very salty. Staff is typically okay...Not the friendliest and expect long wait times because the restaurant is usually busy.
(3)Miranda H.
After leaving Bordega's for being told by our waitress that she is leaving for the night so we won't be helped at all, my boyfriend and I are just hungry and frustrated. We arrived for a work trip late in the evening and wasted over an hour at Bordega's, it was 10pm. We walked to Buzzard Billy's hoping they were still serving food. We probably came across as grumpy but asked if they were still serving. The hostess was so nice and positive. "Of course we are! " She asked which type of seating we would prefer and was not bothered by us coming in so late. The menu options, wonderful! We frequent New Orleans and are really picky with this type of cuisine. My boyfriend had the platter with tilapia, jambalaya and gumbo. The jambalaya wad a little tomato-ey but otherwise good. The gumbo and tilapia were great! I had the Chicken Philly po-boy. What a great combination, it was delicious! We had ordered the armadillo eggs and the waiter had forgotten them. He immediately apologized and get them to us. We've never had them so were expecting a kind a chicken nugget and bacon bits. Nope, they were 4 pieces of breast meat wrapped in bacon and stuffed with a bunch of jalapeño's. Amazing, I would definitely recommend them. The atmosphere was great, we were welcomed, friendly staff and great food!
(5)Pang Y.
Hrm. So I actually wanted to give it 3 stars to start with. Food was "ok" got the jambalaya, I've had better. And boyfriend and boyfriends brother got burgers. They liked their burgers. Service was adequate, waited about 45 minutes for the food on a not-so-busy Sunday afternoon. Hrm. Must be extremely busy in the back? Or perhaps only one person making all the food? You could tell right off the bat that they were going for a very rustic feel. The reasoning behind one star is because everyone developed upset stomachs and had to use the bathroom afterwards. I wonder why, health inspection anyone?
(1)Nelson M.
Restaurant Review Another great pit stop on our vacation. We went for lunch and there was no wait for a table. There is a interesting mixture of items on the menu including gator if that works for your palate. I ended up with a shrimp po boy which was fried perfectly. I don't know what other yelp reviewers are expecting but this is a hybrid bar/restaurant so for bar food this is top notch. Service was fast and friendly as well. I would recommend this place for lunch given good prices and hearty food! Pro- Cheap lunch option, no wait during lunch hour Con- None Hidden deal- None
(4)Jason B.
Good Cajun-esque food and a few good beers on tap. Pearl (and La Crosse) is full of restaurant/bars, I would say this is a good one to default to on your first night!
(4)Jay L.
Best Cajun north of Dixie. I've Been coming here for years. Everytime I come through I stop for Jambaya, gater Fingers, hush puppies
(5)Elizabeth J.
I ate at Buzzard Billy's last night and ordered the Cajun Combo (Gumbo, jambalaya, blackened catfish, hushpuppies). Everything was delicious! The blackened catfish was particularly tasty - cooked very well (not dry) and seasoned to perfection! The gumbo and jambalaya were also good. I will definitely go back.
(4)H C.
Worth eating at. You can still tell that everything isn't as down country, homemade as they want you to believe, but it's something different in La Crosse. The atmosphere is nice and it is always pretty clean. I don't think that you'll leave disappointed.
(4)Matthew S.
Very solid Cajun food in Wisconsin. I was impressed with the gumbo and the etouffee. the bacon wrapped andoulle was outstanding. While some elements of Louisiana were missing( stiffiling heat and humidity), the décor was very nice and service was outstanding. I believe this would be the go to place to go while in La Crosse if you had the crave for Cujun. While I prefer the lighter roux like you might find in St. Martinville, and the kind I personally make there is ABSOLUTELY nothing wrong with this darker version. It is certainly more robust. Based on the limited time I had in La Crosse(only 2 nights) I could not give this place less than 5 for the experience that I had. Highly recommended.
(5)Grace M.
Not a spicy food fan, so my rating might not be as accurate as I'd like it to be. Good atmosphere & good service, but i think they really need to work on their rice dishes - kinda pathetic - but the hush-puppies were tasty.
(3)Kathy R.
We didn't have any major complaints about our meal, except that they use a lot of salt. Also, DON'T order the crab-corn chowder--they use imitation crab! (Really, who features a crab soup with no actual "crab" in it??) It was truly awful. I ordered the blackened combo and it was alright (but like I said, salty). I drank A LOT of water before during and after that meal! It did taste good, though. The veggies were alright too. Hubby had the chicken attafalaya. It was tasty, but I think it's one of those dishes that's a bit too much and tastes good for the first few bites and then becomes overwhelmingly rich.... He could barely finish it. Popcorn crawfish was the starter. Nothing special, but definitely edible. I admit, I'm spoiled by our cajun place near home (Maple Tree Inn) and nothing really compares to it, so, two stars means, "I've experienced better," and I have.
(2)Matt J.
Went there two times a couple of weeks apart. We had a table of 8 both times. The first time we waited over an hour for our food. When it finally came, 4 of the 8 meals were wrong or over cooked. To be fair, the manager did comp all of our meals. At the second visit, the restaurant was half empty. This time it took about 40 minutes for the food to arrive. The food was simply ok. Some of the food preparation seemed marginal; this is not by any means authentic cajun food. I gave them a chance to redeem themselves, and although the 2nd visit was improved... I don't enjoy spending whole afternoons waiting for lunch. I doubt I will return a third time.
(2)Chloe O.
As soon as I walked into Buzzard Billy's, I knew it was my kind of place. The vintage-inspired decor looks great against the interior brickword, giving the place a kind of trendy, relaxed ambience. Both times I have eaten here I've gotten a little carried away with the menu - I love love LOVE Cajun/Creole style food, and the menu is jam-packed with all manner of items that would feel right at home in New Orleans - even gator! On the first visit we were in the mood for poboys and decided to share two. First, we got the blackened catfish with a side of hushpuppies. The catfish was well seasoned and went well with the tartar sauce. The hushpuppies were a little bland and dry for my taste. We also got the Andouille Swiss poboy, and the Andouille sausage delivered the perfect blend of smoky spiciness. On the second visit we had the Cajun nachos with blackened chicken, and the Bourbon Street chicken sandwich. While technically an appetizer, the nachos are huge and I ended up taking most of them away in a box. They are absolutely loaded with delicious red beans, tomatoes, sour cream, cheese, and my favorite banana peppers. This dish really would make a generous meal for two. The Bourbon Street chicken sandwich was juicy and tangy, and came with some perfectly crunchy crinkle-cut fries. The service varied between visits - it was a bit slow the second time around, and they missed the opportunity to sell a few more beverages. It would be useful to have a drinks list that went beyond beer as the server on the second visit didn't seem particularly knowledgeable about other options. Overall, I'd recommend Buzzard Billy's as a fun place to meet up with friends for a drink, and to enjoy some delicious Cajun goodness.
(4)Jon B.
Service was good, food not bad. But not very spicey!
(3)Sean L.
I was in La Crosse on business for two week straight and on my first week I decided to hit this place which I found ultimately on Yelp. Thanks Yelp! This place is located in downtown La Crosse and the only place I could find to park was in what Wisonsinians call the "Ramp". I know it as the parking garage. Unfortunately it took me 3 days to understand what they meant. Anyway, I ordered the Crawfish Etouffee and the Gator strips. I really wanted to try the buzzard eggs but I will save it for the second week. I will have the say the Gator strips were delicious! If you have ever had Gator before sometimes it can be overcooked and dry. These were fried to perfection, not chewy or dry and had just enough breading on them. Next time I will probably just get the Gator strips and a salad. I'd love to eat some Gator strips right now. The Etouffee was very good too. Hot, spicy, peanut butter brown color as they prepped the rogue properly an the crawfish was really good too. Just enough but not too much with a scoop of rice in the middle. All in all this is an excellent place to eat and I will eat here again!
(4)Brittany H.
Every visit to Buzzard Billy's has been delicious and satisfying. I used to pop in here as a college student and when family would come to town. And on my recent visit to La Crosse, I couldn't pass up Buzzard Billy's! We started off with BB's take on cheese curds: deep-fried pepperjack! Well, in Wisconsin, you can't go wrong with deep-frying any type of cheese. These were so tasty. Yum-o! For my entree, I played it safe and had the Bourbon Chicken sandwich. Very tender and just enough kick for me! I loved it. When I get back to La Crosse again someday, I'll have to sample a few of the more Cajun offerings! Great service, great food, great prices, awesome location. Pearl Street has it all!
(4)Chris W.
I love this place! Fantastic cajun food. Prices aren't bad, my only complaint is how close the tables are. It can be distracting to hear other people's conversations.
(4)Robyn F.
I like coming here when I'm in La Crosse to get something different from the other food choices in town. The food is good and they have a nice selection of beer. I haven't had any bad experiences with the waitstaff. I also recommend going upstairs to the Starlite Lounge for an after-dinner drink.
(4)Keagan A.
We love going to Buzzards- we probably go at least once a month. We've barely had any complaints about the service-seems to be pretty speedy and we've only had one bad server, who was pretty busy. We love the variety of the food and how different it is compared to your typical Olive Garden or other sort of boring chain. We always have a hard time deciding on what appetizer to get because almost all of them are very good, and good portions as well. Always great waiters and wonderful service.
(5)Rachelle B.
I Love this place. The food I tired was delicious. An unexpected experience in Wisconsin. I never knew WI had a Cajun restaurant. A MUST TRY is the GATOR FINGERS in the appetizer section. These are thin strips of alligator tail. That is hand breaded and deep - fried. The dipping sauce is made with Creole honey mustard, this packs a lot of flavor. Also check out the Monster-ella Cheese Sticks. These things are huge. For dinner I ordered the CHICKEN CZARINA. Wow, a chicken breast that is fried placed underneath a mountain of Creole style Parmesan cream sauce. Served with a rice and veggies. You can definitely share this with another person. Dessert is a must, try the NEW ORLEANS BREAD PUDDING. You'll be wanting for more. I hope to stop by soon. Oh how I wish they opened one IL.
(5)Kory V.
Good stuff. Decent Cajun food for Wisconsin. Bartender is funny as hell!!! Gumbo soup was great
(4)Keridwyn R.
I grew up in La Crosse and ate a few times at Buzzard Billy's years ago. Visiting for the holidays with my boyfriend, we decided to go for dinner. It was so much better than I remembered! We did have to wait a while for a table (we left our phones at home so no idea how much time) but they allow you to go upstairs to the Starlight Lounge to wait, sitting down and, if you care to, having a drink or two. For our appetizers, we got a cup of the regular gumbo, that had rice, sausage, and crawfish. It was a very small cup, (only $3.25 though) and really tasty. We wished we'd gotten a bowl. We also ordered the pepper jack bites, which are fried cubes of pepper jack cheese. Boyfriend said they were the best thing he's ever eaten. I have never heard him call a food that, ever. They looked like tater tots (not the thick, greasy breading of typical appetizers, like mozzarella sticks) and were served with ranch dressing that surprisingly added such a depth of flavor. They were just mind-blowingly good. For the entrees, he ordered the bayou platter with blackened chicken, soup, red beans and rice, and hushpuppies, which was all tasty he said, just not as much food as he was expecting. Enough to not be hungry after, though. There was also French bread and butter brought out with the entrees. I ordered the seafood something augratin, but with blackened chicken instead of breaded, and I think it was a great decision (not just for lowering the calorie and fat count. It was a goodly-sized plate of food, with a breast of chicken smothered in a creamy yellow sauce (with pieces of mushroom, shrimp, and crab), brownish rice, and mixed vegetables. All of the flavors went great together, and I think that the blackened chicken was a better texture, especially with the rice in the meal. The sauce was so rich and creamy, and poured on quite generously, so I ate a lot of it with the vegetables and rice. This sauce was so good, I ate the mushrooms in the sauce so as to not miss any of the food. And I loathe mushrooms. Our server was pretty good, nothing spectacular but she was attentive and got everything right for us while working a packed restaurant. Overall, it was delicious, and the pepper jack cheese bites were one of the tastiest things I've ever put in my mouth. EVER.
(4)Rebecah M.
I wanted to get the gator, but I chickened out. I got the chicken czarina. (chicken, get it)?). Fried chicken with a slightly spicy sauce with vegetables, rice and shrimp. I probably ate a billion calories, but it was so good. The place has a good look with lots of exposed brick and a really sweet waiter.
(5)Jack D.
I have been in La Crosse for work the last few weeks, and have sampled quite a bit of downtown offerings while staying at the Radisson. This has been one of my favorites, and I have returned more than a few times. Blackened Prime Rib,Chicken Seafood Au Gratin, and Shrimp Po Boy were all very good. Bartenders and waitresses have always been nice and provided good, quick service.
(4)Nebuchadnezzar Z.
This place is great. It's nice to have some good cajun food up here in the great cold north. I love the blackened fish they have. And the blackened chicken salad rocks! The Velvet Elvis is delicious. I've only taken carry out and have not dined in so cannot speak to atmosphere.
(4)Cathy W.
Excellent service. Food was good. Reasonable.
(4)Matt H.
The service here is pretty good, the ambience is ok, kind of kitschy. A little expensive. Still, some of the best food in La Crosse. They have pretty much all the cajun/Lousiana staples.
(4)Steve E.
Nice bar atmosphere. Usually good service. Their Rasta Pasta is actually quite delicious. Nice heat to it... Overall a consistent positive experience.
(4)Jeremy H.
"Meh. I've experienced better." - Yelp I was going to give it 3* since it wasn't terrible, but Yelp convinced me with its description of what 2* is to give it that. Started off with two appetizers, the nachos and the chicken quesadilla. We all (four of us) agreed the quesadilla was ok. It didn't taste bad, it didn't taste good. It didn't really taste like much of anything, to be honest. To give you context, Taco Bell's chicken quesadilla provides 10x the flavor for 1/3 the price. The nachos kind of just.. sucked. It was (literally) a big plate of chips with sour cream and banana peppers, and then a case of beans sitting below everything. There was no meat, no pico de gallo, no CHEESE (still scratching my head over that one), etc. I got the Chicken Achafayla (I have no idea if that's right or not, it was a strange name). Essentially, blackened chicken with some kind of crawfish/garlic sauce over it, with rice and veges. I will say this - their blackened chick is pretty good. Juicy and fairly tasty. My issue was with the rest of the meal, which seemed to be a repeating opinion around the table. It was just bland. The garlic sauce, which is as hot/spicy as a meal gets according to their menu, barely left a tingle in my mouth. And I mean.. barely. It was pretty lacking in flavor as well. The rice was just that - plain rice. No seasonings. The veges were just that - veges with a dusting of some spice on them, really quite bland. Around the table, we had get some fettucine pasta, a hamburger, a catfish sandwhich, a BLT, and the jerk chicken. The jerk chicken was probably the best at the table (I didn't try it, but judging from our reactions). Everyone seemed to think the same thing - it was ok, but lacking in flavor. Normally that would warrant 3* from me, but this is Cajun/Creole food. My biggest worry with Creole food is that it's going to be TOO spicy and TOO spiced/overpowering of the tastebuds, and this fell way, way short. It was as if the cook was afraid of the spice when we went there, and it left us with a lackluster experience. Also, as far as service goes.. pretty eh. My brother and I finished our drinks before the appetizers were done and didn't get a refill until the meal was almost over.
(2)Curt O.
Seated immediately. Service was professional, but not very friendly. Most good wait staff are more outgoing. Had a Pearl St Downtown Brown Ale. Good to try a local brew and it was really good. Had as an appetizer the Buzzard Eggs - cream cheese and jalapeno pepper stuffed in chicken, wrapped in bacon and deep fried. What is not to like! Thank the Pharmacology Gods for Statin drugs. Had the Blackened Chicken - two half-chicken breasts spiced with cajun spices. Pretty good. Substituted the Fries and Hushpuppies for the veggies on the menu. After the Buzzard Eggs what was there to loose. Over all a good meal. The beer and food was good - would probably have given it 4 stars if the service had been friendlier.
(3)Kelli M.
I am extremely disappointed in the host staff. Not only do they have a rude attitude towards groups, they are not warm or welcoming. Despite the fact that my group came before 5pm (dinner rush), there were over 3 tables open for groups who "would rather just hang out at the bar". Never going to consider visiting Buzzard Billy's again.
(2)Lisa H.
Made the visit to Buzzard Billy's in search of some lunch time grub and they have the food to fit the bill. We were greeted & seated fairly quickly and placed an order for some deep fried pepperjack cheese curds! They arrived hot & gooey enough to make even the most healthy of person give up the diet for just a little bit. For the main course, I chose my usual standby, a burger. It was good but nothing out of the ordinary for a burger. Overall, fun little bar/cafe for a quick bite and beer. Will have to be more adventurous on the next visit to La Crosse & venture out of the burger realm.
(3)Paul C.
Great quirky atmosphere. Great Cajun food even this far north. Must try are the buzzard eggs appetizer. Cheesy middle surrounded by a ball of chicken breast completly covered in layers of bacon and deep fried! Also, there is a great martini bar upstairs.
(4)Jason N.
The chicken tchoupitoulas is great. The service is good. The prices are good. I wouldn't have known it was a sit down restaurant if it wasn't for yelp, I have walked by it before and never gave it a second look till now, and I'm glad I did.
(4)Sarah C.
I should just buy a box of zaterans and save some money. Plus, it's dirty. Come on guys. Please revisit running a restaurant 101.
(2)Alex H.
A pretty good place to eat if you like spicy cajun food. Having spent six years in Louisiana, I'm a fan. But it might be a bit much for those who easily suffer heart burn.
(4)Mike M.
Really good food and decor. Did not initally realize it was a chain. The Velvet Elvis dip was amazing. Would reccomend this place if you are Lacrosse, WI.
(4)Jay M.
The huge menu has become, over the past 2-3 years, "can't miss". My last 4 trips to BB have been with moderate expectations that were exceeded.
(4)Joe F.
Fun place to go hang out and get a decent bite to eat. Food was very good not great. Service was very good also. In particular, rice was overcooked, and so was catfish. But the flavor was very good. I give it a 4 because that's where it stands on a local level.
(4)Jackson J.
Buzzard Billy's has a menu offering something for everyone. Even the vegetarians in our group walked away happy with a few options. The food was well cooked, the beverage offerings were impressive and the atmosphere was laid back and relaxing. Definite recommend.
(4)David S.
I was in Lacrosse on business, and of all things, never expected a cajun restaurant...and it was damn good. The first day, I had the Rasta Pasta, which is their Fettuccine Alfredeaux topped with jerk chicken. It had a little pop to it, good flavor, and even being a big guy, I couldn't finish the bowl and had enough for a small lunch the next day. I've also had the chicken and andouille sausage gumbo, the jambalaya, the red beans and rice, and shared the buzzard eggs. I liked them all, but listed them in order of preference. The gumbo was really tasty and my favorite of anything I have had there thus far. Service wise, we were treated well at every visit and never left waiting. The place is clean, and the decor is a mix of cajun and sports bar, with an interesting mix of things to explore.
(4)Joel M.
the cheese sticks are amazing. The jamaican jerk chicken was so-so. but I do love my jerk HOT and spicy! somewhat stingy on the fries but overall a great lunch!
(4)Rocky B.
Not sure why I'm giving it 2 stars. I'm being nice I guess. This place was awful. We got seated immediately at 8pm on Friday night. Bad sign? We thought we were just lucky. The margarita was not good, too sweet. They gave me a new one. I lied and said it was better, it wasn't. Very nice waiter, James. Super attentive and good service. The food came, we were splitting the jerk chicken and the crawfish platter. The jerk marinade on the chicken was REALLY good but chicken was way too dry. Rice was decent, nothing special. My friend ate 3/4 of his chicken, I ate 1/3 and left the rest. The other plate had no flavor. The crawfish were plentiful but even swimming in some type of gravy they couldn't be saved. The 3 hush puppy balls were good and their was fried crawfish on the plate that only tasted good with the sauce provided. We left over half that plate. Combined I think we only ate 1 full plate and we were starving. For the $50 tab plus $12 tip I don't think I'll ever return if I'm in the area again. Maybe the second star is for the sauces, ambiance and waiter but who wants to pay $62 for that and still walk out hungry?
(2)Lisa W.
Granted: I am from La Crosse, helped renovate the place with the owner (and family friend) as a kid, worked as a hostess and waitress here, and, to top it off, my dad has a soup on the menu (Big Joe Weitekamp's Beer Cheese Soup - really good.. totally recommend it!). All my bias out of the way... This is one of the few places that is an absolute mainstay when I go home. This is absolutely the best cajun you will get in the northern part of the country. Try the blackened catfish or one of the other House Specialties. You will NOT be dissapointed!
(5)Steve A.
For LaX, its good. Good not great, if you have had great southern food, you will be unimpressed. But for this area this is a decent place with good food. I had the Red Beans and rice, but the Bloody Mary was much more memorable and at $4.25, a bargain. Good atmosphere, friendly staff and very good service.
(3)Lakshman A.
One of the best places to visit in La Crosse. Best Cajun food. I was on business vist, so went in just like that and found the place was so good. Dont miss it!
(4)Ani V.
For cajun cuisine it left me wanting more. Too focused on decorating the place then adding flavor to their food.
(2)Jason L.
The food is good but the place overall is dirty and disgusting. That's not even taking the bathrooms into consideration. Service was sloooow but fairly pleasant. I'd give it 4 stars if it were (much) cleaner and didn't take 90 minutes for a Monday night meal.
(2)Adrienne V.
I love this place, mostly because I love cajun food. Yummy. This is were I went for my 21st B-day. I got free food with 4 or more people and a free drink. I had the blackened trio (catfish, shrimp, and chicken). It was excellent and the service is always great. Call ahead with a head count over 6. Drinks are good, a little over priced considering it is located in the bar saturated downtown area. Overall a great place to stop when you're close to downtown.
(5)Gretel S.
Great food, great service! We had the blackened shrimp, seafood eggplant pierogi, and red beans and rice. All of it was tasty and well cooked. You can't beat the selection of beers on tap either. We will definitely be back.
(5)Frank M.
Buzzard Billy's was my first experience with Creole like food and I walked away very surprised! I had a stuffed chicken dish that had a perfect amount of spice and was not overwhelming.
(4)Jessica H.
Went back on a Thursday night with a table of 5 and the place was packed. This time we had to wait forever to get food - I feel like it was close to 45 minutes. The food was good when it came out (I got the half order of crawfish alfredeaux) and the bread was awesome (what's with me and bread lately?!) but don't come here if you're in a hurry.
(3)Eric A.
Great food! I happen to love getting one of the sampler platters and seem to always get the same one (Cajun Combo) each time I'm in town. I love the decor as well. If you like cajun/creole food, I think this place is pretty good and delivers.
(5)Matt B.
Buzzard Billy's, the place to go when someone has a birthday. If I remember correctly, you get a free meal if it's your birthday and your bring 4-5 friends (it's been awhile, better check on that). It is indeed a little taste of the creole. I like the Po'Boys (the veggie po'boy is actually my favorite). It's really not that expensive (around $10/head), but if you want to stay cheap the red beans & rice dish is filling and cheap. For an appetizer, I do recommend the pepper jack cheese bites - deep fried golden and cheesey, but with more punch then the boring old mozzarella cheese stick. Ah, La Crosse. What good times we had.
(4)L M.
Cajun food in Wisconsin? You bet! They serve alligator meat, but I opted for the blackened walleye which was delicious and was about $12. Prices was decent. Atmosphere was casual. Waitresses were friendly. The decor had nothing to do with cajun food, but was amusing-- old street signs, old advertisements, stuff you'd find in an antique store in the middle of nowhere.
(4)Metal J.
This is a great place to meet friends and kick back with some beers. I love the Cajun food and the Gator has to be my favorite. It's a pre-concert ritual for me if anything metal or loud hits the LAX center and you can usually find fellow concert goers(no matter what style) there getting ready for the show.
(4)Mark T.
Excellent gumbo and chicken po boy. Roll was nicely toasted, chicken moist and sauce was delicious. Passing thru on i90 and well worth the few miles in la cross to get there. Highly recommended. Service was a little slow.
(4)Lesley E.
Let me preface this by saying that I'm not the world's biggest fan of Cajun food. That said, Buzzard's has a huge menu with a wide variety of Cajun and not-so-Cajun specialties, including some delicious, ever so slightly spicy pasta dishes (including a delicious crawfish "alfredeux"). The standout appetizer is definitely the pepper jack cheese bites, which are a TO DIE FOR twist on the classic Wisconsin fried cheese curds. Large drink menu, always fantastic service, and they also have a great martini bar upstairs where you can burn time if there's a wait.
(4)Mean Eyed C.
Great food Excellent service Wish more places had waitresses like the one we had. Will be back when in toN
(4)Brandy L.
The staff was great! The local craft beer was good. The atmosphere & old building was pretty cool. My husband liked his Cajun nachos. My daughter's mini corn dogs were cooked so "well" they were hardly recognizable much less edible. My shrimp po'boy, for a restaurant that has mainly Cajun dishes, was pretty sub-par, and the side of hush puppies were flavorless. Boo. On a side note, the kid was highly entertained by the fish hanging from the ceiling fan...
(2)John R.
Dinner Friday night, the waitstaff were exceptional, the food was spectacular and the prices were acceptable.
(5)Kari H.
A local favorite. Not sure if the Cajun fare is authentic but it is delicious. Service tends to be on the slow side but the beer is cold, there will be a game on unobtrusively and their portion sizes won't leave you disappointed. This is a must if visiting La Crosse.
(4)Dana N.
I've come here every year for the past three or four years, and every time it's been excellent. Their food is mostly Cajun (creole, blackened meats, jambalaya, etc.) and is the only northern restaurant I know of that had alligator on their menu. If you're looking for a sports bar with typical American bar fare, this isn't the place for you. I ordered their Buzzard Eggs as an appetizer, which are chicken beasts stuffed with cheese and diced jalepenos, then rolled into balls (hence the name--they look like eggs), covered with bacon and deep fried. The bacon was delightfully crisp and is without doubt the best cooked bacon I've ever had. They are quite possibly my favorite appetizer ever. There's four to an order, so it's very possible to make a meal out of just those alone, but also enough to share if you're feeling generous. Since I had people to share the Buzzard Eggs with, I also got the Rasta Pasta, which was grilled jerk chicken on top of spicy cajun fettuccini alfredo. This entree was also amazing, though the jerk chicken wasn't exactly what I was expecting. It had what seemed like a jalepenos relish on top of it, which was not bad at all--just not quite what I was expecting it to be. In our party of 8, none of us had a bad meal (even in spite of the fact that the place was packed). They also had about 20 drafts on tap, too, which was nice. My only complaint is that it took us an hour to get seated because they don't take reservations Friday nights, but with food this good, that's no surprise. In conclusion, if you're an adventurous foodie, you DEFINITELY need to add this one to your list!
(5)Denise S.
OMG! The bacon wrapped andouille saugage appetiter is to die for. Creole crab corn soup was tasty but I really enjoyed the Chicken Czarina so large that it's going to make two meals. Husband enjoyed his gumbo and the Rasta Pasta. This is a must when visiting La Crosse!
(5)Blair E.
The food is OK it's not a true Cajun food but it's definitely better than having no Cajun food at all. The service is usually really good from the waitstaff not but I'm not a huge fan of the manager who just sits at the bar and seems completely disinterested in his business. Like I said it's not the best but I probably still end up there at least once a month. Their cheese curds and buzzard eggs keep me coming back.
(3)Daniella B.
Apparently this place is a small chain. The idea of a cajun place being one of the better spots in town came off a little strange to me. Surprisingly, I found the food exceptional. I ordered the jerk chicken pasta and it was delicious! It had just the right amount of kick. They also have a good selection of craft beer on tap, which is nice. The service was friendly but our waitress forgot to bring out a side. She quickly rectified the mistake so it was no big deal.
(4)Austen H.
Okay being in this smallish town in Wisconsin you'd never think "hey let's get some AWESOME Cajun food, however sure as can be you walk in to this place and get some bomb food. My husband always orders something including the etouffee and loves it so much that it might be the only way to get him to go back to my home town. We also tried the armadillo eggs which were really good and even our toddler ate them (though she actually really really likes spicy food so if you don't or your kids don't love it DO NOT get them for kids) I also got steak which was pretty good considering I don't really do seafood. I love the way it feels kind of feel like you're at home watching the game with friends - great staff.
(4)Liz S.
Promptly seated and waited on w a drink order. Ordered mozzarella app, huge & delicious! My friend ordered eggplant thing, he states it was delicious and I tried the sauce, yummmmy! I ordered bayou platter. No complaints for that dish. Con: my first water tasted fine; 2nd water tasted soapy...I just asked for a new one Our waiter was thin built and maybe in her middle 30's, she was great. Refilled our drinks w/o asking which is just courteous in my book.
(4)Kevin G.
Nothing to add to all the other fantastic reviews except EXCELLENT, EXCELLENT, EXCELLENT! They specialize in cajun food (which to wife loves) but they also have alot of good 'ole american classics. The atmosphere is really great, our waitress was really great, and the food was really awesome. There's something for everyone.
(5)Rudy S.
The sea food gumbo was very good, but the hamburger I had was average at best. Bun was not toasted. Tasted fine, but was nothing I would go back for. Just meh.
(3)Allyson G.
I loved the ambiance, service and quality of the food here. Came by myself in mid afternoon and was only one in the place. Service was very good, by both the host and waitress. Ordered red beans and rice with Andouille sausage and it was outstanding. Very reasonable pricing, too. Not sure what the wait time is normally, my food took about 15 minutes to come out as the only customer there. I have faith in their kitchen though, I know the food was freshly prepared to order and the presentation was nice, too.
(5)Ger D.
Visit to Lacrosse & a recommendation brought me here...The gumbo was awesome! Blackened catfish a little on the salty side even for me... The pub is pretty cool with a nice atmosphere & families there too. Good selection of beer. Can't comment on the live music as no shows tonite;(
(4)Jayde D.
Great atmosphere and amazing food! I got the blackened tuna and was spectacular. You cannot go wrong with anything blackened at this place. There cheese curds/mozzarella sticks are also to die for! This is my favorite place to go when I'm in town.
(5)Ross E.
Awesome restaurant. The blackened catfish was great. I had a sample platter everything on it was good. The Moscow mules were also awesome even with having to give our ID'S so we could have a copper mug.
(5)Tom W.
Excellent Seafood Gumbo, Jambalaya, and if you need something a little spicier try the Rasta Pasta. A rare find in Wisconsin is the Alligator Tail appetizer and the Cajun Popcorn (crawfish) that comes with a tasty remoulade sauce. There are plenty of tasty beers on tap and a great dive atmosphere make it a great stop!
(5)Nina M.
What a fun place. We had a great time plus a wonderful meal. Appetizer was delicious. armadillo eggs. Chicken breast stuffed with hot peppers rolled in bacon served with the best ranch dressing. Hubby had chicken Tchoupitous. So so but mine was super yummy. Eggplant Pirouge. From sauce to shrimp it's clean your plate good. If you find yourself in La Cross. Stop here. Beer favorite was a seasonal coffee based beer
(5)Jeff G.
Tasty place. Decent beer selection. I had the crawfish etoufee and it hit the spot. Service was problematic on the busy night.
(4)Kelly S.
Always consistently good. Rasta Pasta and VooDoo tuna are my favorites. The drinks are pretty great, too!
(5)Allison L.
Stopped in there yesterday. It was about my 4th time there & I'm always impressed with the outcomes of the food. Yesterday Lauren was our server- she was phenomenal. Although it took a few minutes to greet us, her service was over & beyond. I told her I didn't want anything smoked but she recommended me the smoked chicken Salad and I have to say it was the best salad I have ever tasted. The chicken was right flavor and the texture was on point. She was on top of things & made sure we had everything we need & in which sequence. Overall, I do like buzzard Billy's. I highly recommend not only because it's a local business, but because the quality and service of food is better than your average chain restaurant like Applebee's, Olive Garden or even Texas Roadhouse.
(5)Diane H.
7 of us went here for dinner. They don't take reservations so we got their early. She said 30 minutes. It was only 15. It was packed as there was an event going on nereby. I had blackened walleye my husband had blackened catfish. Others had fettuccine steak blackened chicken sandwich and a hamburger. Everything was very tasty. Our waitress was very good. She wasn't spot on with our drinks but they were busy. I would definitely go again.
(4)Salute A.
Finally tried Buzzard Billy's. I was disappointed. Our table was sandwiched between the path to the restroom and the server entrance to the Starlite Lounge. Servers kept slamming the service entrance door. Bathroom floors were sticky and an open dirty mop bucket was sitting out in the hallway. The hush puppies were overcooked and tasted awful. I asked for new ones - second attempt tasted as bad.
(2)Whitney L.
Try the gator fingers so yummmmmmy and I also had the philly cheesestake po boy!! Both delish!
(5)Doug S.
Ordered the Blackened Catfish and a side of Red Beans. Great meal! The catfish was tender juicy and flakey just like it should be. Veggies were wonderful and red beans were home made and very tasty. This was a great meal and reasonably priced. Will be back soon.
(4)