Louies Backyard

We went there at 6pm on Thursday of march. It was my first visit and my parent’s second visit.We were able to eat lots of crab and pork meat which was great. I think this is what makes this visit meaningful.Indoor experience was great as the waiter could find us easily and there wasn’t any bad smells. But outdoor space had some problem about the smell. (Not in all spaces but most)The toilet was not very clean.The ocean view was great.

This place was like walking back in time. It felt like an 80s bowling alley upstairs. We caught fish on a local charter and brought it up and they cooked it for a charge. That was nice because we were staying in a hotel. They had pool and fusbol too which our kids thoroughly enjoyed. Also, they had a snack bar open that was included with our meal. We enjoyed it!

I visited this place in either 1983 or 84. I finally returned 8-2-24. We had server number 1215. Service was excellent. The food was outrageously great. The portions were awesome. When my girlfriend came back from the buffet she had a huge smile on her face And I brought twinkle in her eye. She said oh my God they gave me two sets of crab legs not one but two. Everything we had without standing. The night before we went to a restaurant on the south end of the island I wont give out a name and give them any free advertisement they were in area of 33000 ish of SP RD 100. Did I mention our meal was almost $50 higher South of Queen Isabella Causeway ? I will also say your food was way better and less expensive. Everything we had was delicious. Very few places in my life that I have went back for second time and lived up to the expectations Louies Backyard after 40 or so years you exceeded my expectations. Visitors of SPI if youre reading my review scratch all those low reviews most of those folks have very few reviews out there very few of those reviews are status as local guides status. Visit this place and see for yourself. One last thing managers, servers, prepares and cooks job well done!

The atmosphere on Louie’s Backyard was welcoming for the Fireworks of Memorial Day 2024.There was live music, great service provided and the food was delicious.The Buffet style seafood was amazing, especially their crab legs. 🦀Accessible for ADA guests. ♿️Shade provided on the patio.Upstairs patio available as well.Patio leading to an amazing view to the water.Restaurant to return to.

The all you can eat prime rib buffet with the crab legs is phenomenal! It is only $30, everyday at 1600!! We come here every time we are down on the island.Price change to $32 , still worth it. It was so good tonight and our waiter was so awesome. Thank you sir!!

We went for the buffet. Located on the second floor. Not a very large selection, but it was worth the price in my opinion. Finally found a place on the island where my wife likes the food. If youre a fan of crab legs, then this is a good place for you. The people that work there serve you on the buffet line. No problem with that, they serve you alot!!

I was hesitant to come here because of the reviews, but Im so glad we did! The food was delicious! We all had the buffet and ate beyond the price of it in just crab legs!!

Had the seafood platter on special $9 this was great, also the Big fish bowl, the fish potatoes and zucchini was great but the sauce was just way too salty. Also had ultimate margaritas which was good

We went for the $32 buffet. The crab legs were very good, bbq ribs were great(you need to ask for sauce) we didnt really see a potato bar but they did have big, baked potatoes. The sunset view was amazing from there and they had a lot of seating. The band playing was very good.

Buffet: $32 adults, $15 kids from 4-11yrs. I went there yesterday, It has a really good atmosphere. The waitress was very friendly and attentive she could also speak Spanish/English. They dont have many food options in the buffet, and they serve the food to you, which is fine in my opinion. There are flies everywhere and its very hot outside, BUT the view is irresistible. The inside of the restaurant has AC, but the wait time was around 20/30 minutes. Restrooms are fine, nothing fancy, definitely clean. Recommend for friends and adults, not to children since they might not eat as much.

Went here with a kiddo and it was decent. ⚓️🛥️ The food is decent. I wouldn’t say it lived up to the price. 🦀🦞🦐🍤We did not get the Buffett so maybe that’s where it gets good. 🤷🏻‍♀️ The atmosphere was great. There’s live music. 🌅😎Optimal place to watch the sunset & take pics. 📸Across the street is gravity park with a Ferris wheel, go carts, & arcade games. 🎡Would be a nice place to take a date. We’d likely have more fun without the kid in tow. I’d recommend this place if you want a lot of food, and lively atmosphere. More for drinking & watching the sunset. Probably not an ideal place for kids but not necessarily too adult. Like I mentioned, there’s a little mini-amusement park across the street. Oh and the sandcastle exhibit too. 🏝️

This place is a DUMP!!! I have no idea where they took the pictures from but it’s not that nice. Old furniture, run down. Uncomfortable and moldy outdoor furniture. The service was great, but with that said we had the all you can eat buffet so the waiter really didn’t have to worry about anything but the drinks. The buffet was TERRIBLE!!! The salad bar was not kept clean and they had fans in the ice inside the salad bar to keep the flies out. The salad bowl with the lettuce had so much water in it, it made it soggy. The pasta bar was DISGUSTING, again not kept clean and not refilled often. The sides bars GROSS. Food was old and dried up and majority of the food was cold. The seafood bar, was super small and in a cramped area, it was hard to get to. This seafood bar is was DISAPPOINTING!! The only decent item was the crab, the other food was limited and not good. The restaurant was DIRTY!! Food was all over the floor and the staff would step right on it and not clean it up. The same goes with the tables, food was left all over the floor and not cleaned up. Just go somewhere else. I’m gonna call the health department and ask for an inspection. It’s sad that I spent that much money on a terrible dining experience.

Not the best. We went for the experience, sat by the water. Great view, nice for pictures, we saw the sunset. Our server was very nice but our food took over 40 minutes and the place was practically empty on a Monday evening. The drinks were better than the food. My son ordered a steak medium rare and it arrived very late and medium well. My daughter couldnt even eat her Mac and cheese. The server told us the Mac and cheese was what was taking forever. My meal wasnt memorable enough to remember but again the drinks were good.

This place is a lot of fun the great drinks great atmosphere and the times Ive been in the staff has been awesome the parking is a nightmare and the food is not that great Ive been to the buffet many times throughout the years-- the prime rib is greasy, the sides are bland and overcooked, the salad is wilted, the crab legs and boiled shrimp arent the freshest and the bathrooms are always out of a paper products and it looks like a tornado went through there BUT what I like is the entire package --the live music, the fireworks, the people and the atmosphere is great. They have a lot going on besides the food and if anything the drinks and the desserts are always good!

My husband and i been to this restaurant several times but always forget to give them a review. They deserve 5 star for everything. The buffet menu is just what we love with snow crag legs, prime beef, coconut shrimp 🍤... The service is really good. We always feel welcomed here! The big plus is they have fireworks for weekend and at the restaurant patio is the best view! Highly recommended!!

The dinner buffet was great. The service was friendly, and the view over the bay is perfect.Update 02/28/23. The buffet area has new flooring that is much cleaner looking than the old carpet. The servers were all friendly, but there werent enough waiting on tables. It was difficult to find someone to refill a glass or bring anything. The food was great. Nice prime rib and plenty of snow crabs.5/6/23. Still a great meal with a wonderful view.07/27/24. Not much has changed. Waitresses were friendly, but still difficult to find them when drinks were empty. When it started getting crowded, they opened an outside buffet, so there was mo waiting.

Not sure why this place isnt even over 4 stars. This is a great place. I was skeptical at first, seafood buffet for only $30 how good could it really be. But we gave it a try anyway and so glad we did! Staff was so nice and helpful. And most of the food was honestly delicious! The fried fish, ribs, and mac and cheese were amazing! And how can you beat all you can eat crab? The atmosphere is fun and upbeat and the night we went they had a short fireworks show. If I were to ever visit again I would definitely go back!

We went here for our last dinner on our vacation and was not disappointed at all. This place is huge, has plenty of seating, and is right on the water!! You can expect a great view from almost anywhere outside! The mixed drinks are a bit on the expensive side, but very good! I ordered the pecan encrusted red snapper with fries and it was awesome!! Highly recommend experiencing this place if you are on south padre island, especially during the sunset!

If I could give 10 stars for our service, I would. Cruz was absolutely OUTSTANDING! Most of us had the buffet. It was a wonderful experience!

Cold inside as outside was about 37. Food was cold. Plates cold. Inside on the 1st floor it seemed run down outdated. 2nd floor was updated, very nice looking and huge with 5 separate eating areas. 1st floor was the buffet, 2nd was a bar with live music. The buffet didn’t impress me. There was many options and most likely you will find foods you like. 2 of the scrimp I liked, some the bbq, not so much the prime rib, somewhat good the crab legs. The pictures are from upstairs

This club in South padre was badass man we had a good time the drinks were strong the hurricane drink was badass and was served in good size cup if your at padre go here but take cash cause they dont accept credit cards and entry fee is 20 a person yup but over all good weekend

Always a great place for lunch and drinks. The fish tacos know no rival!

I recently visited Louies Backyard for their seafood buffet and was pleasantly surprised by the culinary journey. The **variety of seafood** was good, with each dish offering a taste of the oceans bounty. The flavors were well-balanced, and the food quality was commendable.The service was **somewhat good**; the staff was friendly and attentive, though there were moments when the service could have been more prompt. Its understandable during busy hours, but a smoother experience would enhance the overall dining.The atmosphere of the restaurant has potential but could use some attention. While the setting is casual and fitting for a seaside eatery, a few touches could elevate the ambiance to match the quality of the food.In summary, Louies Backyard serves up a satisfying seafood buffet that hits the right notes on the palate. With a bit of fine-tuning in service and atmosphere, it could easily become a top-notch dining destination. **3.5 stars** out of 5.

Its a nice place to hang out with your friends and family. They have music and great ambiance. Dress casually because its hot but the breeze more than made up for it. We had the buffet. There were a lot of options to choose from, and everything I ate was delicious, especially the boiled shrimp. Service was great as well. The waiter was very attentive. Overall I was impressed.

This place definitely has all-you-can-eat crab legs. The service was okay, and she was very sweet, but we did have to look for her multiple times. She may have been handling multiple rooms, so I wont say the service was terrible. On the crab legs they arent huge, but they are a decent size. I think the problem was that we got there too early. We got there right at around 5 pm on a Wednesday. It seemed like the crab legs had been soaking in water as they were challenging to Crack and would just bend. The reason I think this is because as it got busier, they seemed to get fresher and started being easier to crack and were coming out beautiful at the end. The grilled shrimp was honestly probably my favorite here their flavor was so good. I would recommend them adding some items to the salad bar, like more toppings. Overall, this was pretty good, and I didnt feel bad about the cost of this meal.

The food quality is low. Preparation is poor. I ordered for a party of 4. 1 order was completely forgotten. Two sides for 2 other plates were forgotten. 1 out of the 4 orders came out complete. I ordered the snapper and was expecting a fresh filet. Nope! some previously frozen white fish harder than a rock came out in the shape of a perfect square. Dry, hard and tasteless. I sent everything back. This place needs a change in management, wait staff, and probably new procurement. The margarita I ordered was water with flavoring. Horrible all around. They are appealing to the buffet “all you can eat” types. Nothing more to say.

Food is amazing! All you can eat crab legs and seafood is worth the money. Our waitress was really occupied with other customers but still managed to keep our drinks full. Overall, awesome experience and we are definitely coming back.

The food 🥘 is of very poor quality! The only reason people go is for the crab legs but the remaining buffet is sub par in quality and taste! That so called prime rib has an off putting sour flavor and was so hard to chew! I spit it out! weird meat! &so tough! The only other edible item was a skewered shrimp in a smokey sauce .Potato salad was uncooked hard potatoes!The manner in which the buffet is jammed in a corner inside was ridiculous! nothing was appealing!sodas were all flat and watered down ! we tried several!Outside is hot and so sunny ! not enough shade, but the servers were nice girls.never Again!

9/15/2023Our food took a while to come out even though there wasnt a lot of people. If you want to eat right away, I recommend their buffet, which has most of the things on the menu, but not all. I had the grilled chicken, and it was flavourful - not too dry.4/9/2022Pretty good service, and the food was delicious! I was not impressed by their adult drinks, though. I tried two different ones, and there was no flavor. The cheesecake, on the other hand, was delicious!!Great, relaxing view if you sit outdoors. The restrooms are kept clean. You can take your kiddos to the rides in front of the restaurant, which are just a short walk away.

The food was excellent, I had the Seafood buffet. Everything was fresh, and tasted amazing. I would have given 5 stars across the board, but our waitress was irritable and not very courteous. Other than that it was a good time for our whole family.

We had a lovely lunch… the fish filet was so crispy and fresh! I also enjoyed the coconut shrimp.

So good and so much food! We only has a 30min wait. We arrived just before sunset. Breathtaking view. Its Friday night so the fireworks were blasting! Super fun. Great food. Great service....and great friends to share it with!

Best place in South Padre Island to watch 4th of July. And we also had the brand new drink, The Miami Vice.... Courtesy of Johnathan

Would recommend going elsewhere for a family dinner. Waited over a hour for food ordered on the menu. One guest was told they were out of the order when they eventually brought out cold. Only positive is the manager did cover the bill for the two of the meals ordered. Buffett had the items available (baked potato) but said it was not available for the meal ordered separate from the Buffet. Every bad review I read before coming was accurate. Atmosphere was decent with the firework show but the experience with the service and food ruined our night.

You can eat right on the water and watch the sunset, or dine inside, your choice.The prime rib was fantastic, shrimp several ways, the crab legs could have been fresher, but theyre a long way from home. Waldorf and mixed greens salad, steamed veggies. Dessert was massive and great.Our waitress was attractive, attentive, friendly and prompt. Ill definitely return

We came at 6:30 on a Monday, and we were not impressed. The restaurant wasnt busy, so I dont know why the service was so slow. Three of us got the seafood buffet, which was kind of disappointing. There wasnt very many options, and since they were slow, everything was cold. I could overlook that, since the math checks out (slow night means the food isnt depleted as quickly and can get cold), but two of us ordered off the regular menu. The restaurant only had about 15 tables with people at them (probably 5% capacity), and yet it took over 30 minutes for the made-to-order food to slow up. The made to order food was just fried chicken fingers and fries, so 30 minutes, at 5% capacity, is ridiculous. When it got to the table the food was hot, which means it wasnt sitting, they took 20 minutes to start making it. The waitress was alright, she stopped by the table at a normal time interval, but she wasnt overly pleasant or anything, hence the 3/5 for service. The biggest detractors were the lack of options: the seafood buffet didnt have much, and the salad bar was very sad. It was bagged lettuce and a few toppings... the VA hospital has a better salad bar. For the 5 of us, the bill was $160. Not worth it in my opinion. Maybe well try it again on a weekend.

My favorite place to go out to eat at SPI the buffet never disappoints although every time I have gone service has been awful

Got seated outside, the mosquitos were a freakin nightmare. We were moved inside and it made the meal a bit more pleasant. The crab legs were great, and so was the spicy shrimp. The all u can eat buffet wasnt what we expected. It is a very small buffet, and the employees serve you. The service did make up for it. We all give it a 3.

Me and my family love going to Louie’s backyard we have been going for years now. I have always received great service but today we dinned in the bar area and ran into an employee called “David” was the rudest employee I have ever meet mind you he did me a face as well while coming into the bar, did not seem like he liked his job at all. I couldn’t even eat my food in peace of how much he just kept on looking over at our table. Our waiter was the sweetest, friendliest but that employee just did not help.

Ive been to Louies 2 times. Once for lunch. Tacos were fabulous and so filling they were also my dinner.2nd time was with family for the buffet. It did not disappoint. Absolutely delicious and if I being honest, it was so good I would have paid more. The server was amazing and found us a seat away from the sun. Definitely a do over

Tried this place again a year later. Terrible service. Couldn’t get help and ended up leaving. We won’t be returning.This review was based solely on the food not the views.Chicken strips seemed to be cooked in old oil and had a bad taste to them. My kid didnt enjoy them much.My wifes seafood platter was 80% good. The crab cake smelled funny and seemed to be cooked in the same old oil.I had a French dip. It doesnt come with cheese and it was pretty flavorless.Overall the prices werent terrible, but I wouldnt return here for the food. Service was good.

We’ve been 2x on our vacation and loved everything about it. Service was on point. Food was delicious and drinks were worth the money. We’re here a few more days and have plans to go back ❤️

Chill & a great deck with live music for people under 60, including families. Not filled with snowbirds.

Excellent seafood buffet and wonderful server! We enjoyed everything about dinner tonight. The crab legs were the biggest hit along with several types of shrimp and fish. My second favorites to the crab legs were the shrimp scampi and blackened fish. Delicious! Were sad theyre closed Christmas Eve and Christmas Day but happy for the workers to be off. Well be back asap!

We tried out Louies a few years ago and sat outside and enjoyed some tasty food from the menu. This trip, however, they said only the buffet was available. The room was packed and the air was stagnant. The food wasnt bad, but not mind blowing either. I suppose it was decent for the price, but I dont think well eat there next time the buffet is the only option.

Louies Backyards buffet is a MUST when visiting SPI! FABULOUS food, service, atmosphere, and bar drinks!

The crab legs were ok, everything else was just awful. I have been hearing about this place for years due to them advertising on a blimp, it was my first time and we paid $40 a person. The line to eat was terribly long due to them closing the outside buffet at 7 pm. The food was not tasty at all. For that price I was hoping to have a great tasting buffet.Shrimps ALL still had the poop sacks in them, completely visible!!The bathrooms were beyond disgusting. Completely wet, no one cleans in there, vomit all over one of the toilets. A leaky ceiling in the other. No soap!The service was ok, not rude people but not super attentive either.Save your money, do not go there! First and last time we are going there

We ordered the seafood buffet. Very disappointed on the selections. Then I asked to see a menu. I was very disappointed on the selections. I paid to much for the meal. The only thing that was good was the chocolate cake and the new York style cheesecake and the margarita and The service was good. I will never go back again. Not worth the hype.

Mediocre. The shell to the crab legs was very rubbery, making it hard to break. Food was overcooked and lacking flavor. Almost like crockpot food that has been sitting for way too long. I’m sure it’s because they have to prep for such a large buffet crowd, and they start things earlier in the day. But because of that, the food loses its crunch and flavor. Our server was sweet, but she wasn’t very attentive because she was trying to tend to her other tables as well. Lots of people wanting the buffet. It’s atmosphere if you sit outside, but that’s about the only thing that’s good is the views.

We had te seafood buffet. Crab legs and fried shrimp were good, prime rib was tough, and peel and eat shrimp had a funny taste to it. Overall was great place to go. Great service and friendly staff. Great view.

Had the buffet as we were looking to get some crab legs and we were ushered up to a small, cramped space. There just wasnt much right to go into it. Maybe the other experience is better but I cant imagine how a place could fail so badly in one spot and shine in another.

We did not have the buffet. All the tables around us did. I ordered the 6 ounce steak, it was beef jerky. We also had shrimp Mac and cheese, my husband likes everything and he did not like it. Kids had the pork chops and fried shrimp. Not good. Took almost to get food. Server was attentive, but I will not eat here again.

Everything was absolutely amazing the service, the atmosphere, the drink and the buffet. We went for the crab legs and they were huge and sooo good and you cant beat the price

Our waiter was amazing and helpful. We caught fish with Bennys Charter and they cooked it for us. We also purchased some wings and their pecan crusted fish tacos and they were amazing! I wish I took photos!

Overall a nice experience. The atmosphere is great for a beach community, the people are friendly and the food is good. I had the seafood platter and the wife had the border tacos, wed definitely eat there again. Only wish their cans of Michelob Ultra werent so expensive, for what 3 cans cost I can buy a 12 pack of Michelob Ultra pure Gold

Mixed experience. Wouldn’t recommend for food but if you do drinks with a view it is great!We sat downstairs outside on the patio and had a great time! Our server was quick and nice.Sat upstairs inside at the bar and the service was horrible. Had a guy and a girl as the bartenders, the blonde girl entirely stopped checking on us. When the guy took over he flat out told us he wasn’t going to lie he wasn’t paying attention to our order and couldn’t tell what was ran to us when we asked him what the plated item was that came out. The chicken wings came out very broken, it was very hard to eat the bones being shattered. Will come back and stick to drinks!

The grilled shrimp plate thing. It was pretty alright. I added lots of extra lemons and pretty positive that was a white sticky rice and not a rice pilaf..it was a massive portion of rice. I thought the menu read that seafood came with all you can eat salad buffet but was respectfully corrected it is only one trip.There menu was so small. So it’s possible it has a rotating menu. The lowest priced thing besides kids meal was $23 Alfredo (which I would go with if I go next time).Great environment, wonderful sunset, good service!

Expensive at $33/buffet. But in the end it was worth it. Shrimp, prime rib, baby back ribs, salad, desserts, giant crab legs w/melted butter. WOW!!!

Went at 10 pm to eat after a long day of swimming. got to the door, and were very rudely addressed at the front door for ID. I didnt know you needed an ID to eat at a restaurant. Its labeled on Google as a restaurant, if its a bar they should make that clearer.

Went May 2024. Just got drinks here. Good strong margaritas and the wait staff are friendly and fun. Odd setting though. Seems like a converted casino and it was empty when we went. Still good for a cheap drink on the bay.

My Grandson and I had the buffet. At $33. Per person it was so not worth it. Everything except the crab left alot to be desired. Selection was almost non existed. The only thing that was really good was the service.

Food was horrible, everything that we ate was way overcooked. Buffet area was disgusting and no one spoke English. We actually got sick the next morning, avoid this place as far as eating. The flyers and pictures are old, it looks nothing like that. Its dirty and gross.

One of the best places to hang out on the island! The views are amazing. Wonderful food and drink specials. Friendly accommodating staff. Abe, our bartender really made the experience great for us. His suggestions for food were perfect for us. Great place to watch football games in the sports bar upstairs. This place has something for everyone!

Seafood and prime rib buffet was good, but not great. The prime rib was a bit overcooked, mac and cheese was awful, crab legs were plentiful and the key lime pie was the lime-iest very delicious

Beautiful place to eat and watch the sunset. Overall seafood buffet was a 4 out of 5. A decent selection of food but the crab legs were not exactly hot when served. The selection and taste of the shrimp was amazing. The vegetable selection was ok, but the music and atmosphere around the water was memorable.

We loved Louies! While the buffet was small and Id prefer to serve myself, the food was great. Our waiter was attentive but not overbearing and there was plenty of extra staff on hand to help with dirty dishes, drink orders and other needs. I was impressed. The entertainment was awesome and the view of the sun setting was incredible. We loved it so much we came back to watch the fireworks on the 4th! We even met Louie, their furry friend on the porch 😁 well definitely visit again the next time were in Padre.