A Buda Date Night Destination: Taste on Main
Whether you’re looking for a craft cocktail or a perfectly seared steak, this Main Street restaurant delivers. Since opening in early 2023, this Buda restaurant has been bustling with foodies and happy hour goers thrilled to have a new location to unwind.
Owned and operated by the family who owns the Hays City Store, Taste on Main focuses on steak and seafood, along with creative cocktails. You’ll be immediately charmed by the on point decor, from the octopus tentacle door handle to the polished gold accents and saddle leather bar stools, which create a charming atmosphere that welcomes you to settle in for a while. It feels upscale enough for a nice date night, without feeling stuffy.
We began our evening with cocktails. The bar menu has a healthy selection of bourbons and tequilas with everything else in between. I chose a Boulevardier, a bourbon-based drink with notes of citrus and coconut. The drink was delightful, but the performance that came along with it was better. The server set down a wooden box, my drink nestled neatly inside, complete with a curl of orange peel. She poured hot water into the wooden box and a cloud of white smoke poured over the edge, spreading across the table as my kids swatted at it with delight.
Service was friendly and efficient and we enjoyed the Shrimp and Crab Dip, which came recommended by our server. As a rule, we don’t eat raw seafood from the Gulf of Mexico, so I skipped the raw bar even though I’m an avid oyster lover. I was thrilled to discover as we were leaving that the raw bar selections are shipped in from the Northeast, and I promised to sample the oysters next time I’m in.
We sampled the steak (perfectly cooked), along with the Country-fried Ribeye (Peppery and well-seasoned), Gnocchi Primavera (I wasn’t a fan, but two others at the table enjoyed it), the Steakhouse Smashburger (good for kids since there is no separate kid menu), and many of the sides. The mac and cheese was pretty good, as were the seasonal vegetables. The stand out dish, however, was the Fried Brussels Sprouts, which had a spicy black bean chili oil and a tang to them that had everyone fighting over the last bite.
Desserts are made onsite and are another high point. We tried the creme brulee (exceptional), the key lime tart (also a smash hit), and the chocolate marquis cake, which was beautifully garnished and will have dark chocolate lovers dreaming of their next bite. Overall, a lovely evening out.
It’s exciting to see new restaurants being added to Buda, and particularly gratifying when they are family-owned. Taste on Main is definitely going to be a new staple in our restaurant rotation. We’re looking forward to heading back in early May after the new outdoor space at the back of the restaurant opens. It will be a more casual space to gather for cocktails before dinner and will feature its own drink menu, with an emphasis on tequila.