The Badu House

We stopped in on our way to my girlfriends ranch in Mason, and we were greeted immediately and offered a table or seats at the bar. We chose the bar. The beer selection was great, but the meal is what will keep us coming back… My girlfriend had the fried chicken with watermelon salad. Let me jus say… Amazing! My New York strip was grilled to perfection. Grilled on a chargriller not a flat top like most of the country restaurants. We got a chance to meet the young chef, and if you love food introduce yourself to him! He is extremely talented and has great energy and ideas for delicious meals.
Badu is a Five Star gateway to the hill country. We will be back and I cannot wait.

After being mightily dissatisfied with the chicken fried steak at the Café 2300 and Mama’s Home Cooking in Burnet, we traveled to Llano to try the Badu House.
You would think that finding a good CFS in this part of the world would be a cinch, but that has not been the case. It’s as if some restaurants are putting out meals as cheaply as possible, with quality and preparation a low priority.
Not so at Badu House. We were greeted by a friendly wait staff, and the owner stopped by for a chat. Both my wife and I ordered the CFS, which arrived promptly. The breading was crispy and not excessive, and the meat was the proper thickness. Gravy was abundant and tasty. The CFS was served with creamy garlic mashed and green beans which were beautiful, not overcooked, and garnished with real bacon bits.
We liked the Badu House a lot, and recommend it heartily!

This place has stolen my heart. Family run place with amazing food, amazing people, great beer and wine selection and awesome live music on the weekends! We eat here every time we are in the area (which is almost every weekend) and end up making a whole night out of it. I’m most scared to talk it up too much for fear of losing my seat at the bar ;)

Last week we celebrated my sister and brother-in-law’s 50^th wedding anniversary at The Badu House. Karolina expertly handled all of the preparations for us. Our meals were delicious and served in a timely manner and a great time was had by the whole bunch!
I return here time and time again because the food is great, the service is consistently good and the ambience is relaxed and inviting. YES, you can have your cake and eat it too right here in Llano!

We were a group of 12 people who stopped for beer and dinner after setting up camp at the Oxford Ranch Campsite near by.
The staff we encountered at BADU were very nice and helpful, providing explanations on their home brewed beers. The hostess that seated our group provided a brief and interesting history of the place. The food was great, and the ambience while sitting out side was super nice, including the singer/​guitarist that played on stage for a while.
I highly recommend BADU for their beers, food, and staff.

The Badu House Wine Pub And Accommodations have raised the bar for Llano. New chef makes great burgers (try the Mac ‘n’ cheese burger). The wine list is varied and reasonably priced and the beer list is longer than you’ll drink in a lifetime. Well, my lifetime… Stan and Carolina are wonderful hosts. And there’s music, too! Don’t miss this gem in Llano.

I almost hate to give it 5 stars because it is at least 10 stars in my opinion. Being the type person who wants to keep it a secret as the best place in the Hill Country, I keep trying to think of something bad to say to keep it for myself but it does not exist except that I can not stay longer each visit. The location is just off two major highways, the rooms are bright and clean, the staff, and I mean all staff, are so friendly, personable and helpful, the entertainment, if you are staying when scheduled to play, are top notch, the food, dinner or breakfast, are excellent and there is a large variety (more than 60) of premium beers and quality wines to choose from their inventory. If you are within 60 miles for any reason, treat yourself for a great night in this wonderful hidden treasure. You will not be disappointed…

Note: This review is for the restaurant, we did not stay in the rooms.
VALENTINE’S DAY NIGHTMARE. February came around and my lady and I were discussing Valentine’s plans. We both agreed that we didn’t want to fight the big city crowds in Austin and that we’d just cook a nice meal at home. Well, that’s not good enough for my gal, so I planned a little Hill Country getaway, including a drive up to Llano for dinner at the Badu House. I had driven by Badu a hundred times going to and from Austin and my West-​Central Texas hometown, and had always heard great things. Seemed like a brilliant plan.
I called about a week and half in advance and made reservations. Excited, we arrived and had been seated and ordered dinner and drinks by about 8:05. For an appetizer, we ordered the Italian Nachos (though without sausage, as neither of us eats pork due to dietary restrictions). About ten minutes later, the nachos came out and we had a few bites before realizing that they were full of sausage. We waited for our waitress to re-​appear, and she did, about 15 minutes later. She took them away and didn’t offer to replace them. We hadn’t seen our waitress again (and in fact never saw her again that evening) at about 9:15 when another couple, let’s call them «Couple B» showed up and was seated next to us. At this point we’d been seated for over an hour without food.
At 9:30, the chef comes out of the kitchen and begins profusely apologizing to Couple B (who have been there for 15 minutes) for the delay and offering to discount their meal. We’re thinking, ‘Whaaat??? We’ve been here for an hour and a half!’ My lady finds a waitress and asks her to check on our order. Maybe it was lost or something? About ten minutes later, the chef comes out and apologizes to us. He says our food is ready, but they had run out of mashed potatoes and that was holding things up. ‘Five more minutes,’ he says. My lady is falling asleep at this point, and we’re both starving. Finally, at about 10:00, Couple B receives their meal. (It should probably be noted that Couple B appeared to be friends with the proprietors, who were sitting and chatting with them for quite a while.) At this point, we have been seated for 2 hours without a bite to eat and only a half-​hearted apology, while another couple who had been there for only 30 minutes had the staff running around for them. Maybe it’s just a small-​town thing.
Well, 2 hours in, we gave up, paid for our drinks and left. I’m just so lucky and grateful that my gal has a wonderful sense of humor. Badu House could have ruined our Valentine’s Day, but we didn’t let it. We had bread and jam for dinner that night in our hotel room and just laughed about what we’d just been through. It was very romantic. Judging by all of the 5-​star reviews for Badu House, I’m guessing that it’s a fine restaurant, but they seem to be COMPLETELY and utterly untrained and unequipped to handle a crowd. I will admit that they were very busy that evening, and that’s why we patiently waited almost 2 hours for our food without any complaint… we totally understand. We heard numerous staff complaining about how exhausted they were. There was some very poor planning going on that night. They could have treated us much better though, if they’d cared.
Long story short: If you’re in Llano, maybe check out the Badu House, but if they appear busy, or there’s a crowd inside, turn around and run away!

Don’t miss this. Take a drive up to see the spring flowers and treat yourself to some fine food and drink (100 plus wines and beers) while you are at it. Woo hoo, Badu House even had Oysters on the Half Shell in Llano again! When we off in the far reaches of the planet camping and making our own meals our minds stray back to Llano and the great food at the Badu. Wherever we may roam, the great food, friendly service and the original music of W.C. Jameson and Mike Blakely on Thursday nights make this the place we look forward to coming back to time after time! The building and the garden are awesome as well. Treat yourself, your family, your friends, your company!

My wife and I stayed here not too long ago and truly loved it! The food was great and the chef, Chase, even came out to see if it was cooked to our liking. It was! Beer selection was outstanding and our room had everything we needed. We will be staying here again in the spring. May make an annual trip out of it with it being this close to Fredericksburg.

this place is a hidden gem in the hill country! the food, wine, beer, and staff were absolutely amazing! we had the Italian nachos brought to us on the house after ordering bottle of prosecco and our meal! We had the fish and chips, sausage du jour and moved on to the beer selection. staff was very knowledgable and very accommodating. there is live music every weekend too. this place is all about atmosphere. we stayed in suite 2 and were very pleased down to the soap in the room. it is a historic house which I loved right down to the claw tub shower. I will be back!!!

While traveling to Llano for business a couple weeks ago, I decided to eat before heading home so asked a local person for a suggestion… This was the best thing that I ever did… the Badu House was recommended, When I first went inside, there was a bar to the left so I decided to start with a beer because it had been a hot day. I was surprised to find a generous selection of more than 50 beers, most all premium types and some local brew. The bartender was very knowledgeable suggested a Harp, excellent choice. Then I moved on for something to eat. I sat in the bar but there is also a formal area and tables outside on their deck. The waitress quickly took my order which was the Chicken Parmigiana, a favor for me. I had a nice dinner salad and then entrée arrived; It was excellent. I was asked by some people sitting at the next table about it and I expressed how good it was. One of them said that he should had gotten because it looked so good. When their food arrived, a burger and a chicken fried steak, he retracted his statement after two bites saying that it was the best chicken fried steak he had ever had… and his friend mentioned that the burger was perfect. About halfway through my meal, the chef came by checking that my meal met my approval. When I state it was excellent, he thank me for coming and then quickly moved to each table checking with all. I noticed that the waitresses all seem to watch every table making service their priority. As I finished eating, a couple guys started playing music outside so I decided to have a second beer and tried a local selection… DC something???, another good suggestion by the bartender. I was amazed how friendly the staff was along with all of the local patrons which would say hello as they passed by. After listening to a few songs and drinking my beer… I really did not want to leave but I realized that I had met half of the people, been taken in as though I was family, had a gentlemen come by to ask if I was enjoying the music and my visit… I found out later, he was the owner, Stan and been refreshed ready to make my the drive back home… Finding this place is like finding a diamond in the rough. My only regret is I did not have a longer stay, but will definitely plan to have more time, the next visit to Llano.

The food is absolutely amazing. The cuisine stands out in a town centered around BBQ and Hamburgers. I don’t think the people of Llano understand the gem that sits right in the middle of town. The menu is seasonal and you really couldn’t go wrong if you just closed your eyes and pointed to something.
It does get a bit loud later in the evening so if you are looking for a quiet meal I suggest sitting in the other room.
The Badu House itself is a beautiful historic building that has seen its share of owners thru the years, I hope this one sticks!
We no longer live in Llano and its one of the few places we miss in that area as far as food goes. My only complaint was the hours, would love for them to have been open more.
If you are in the Hill Country and really want a delicious meal, skip the BBQ and head to the Badu.

We ate at the wonderful Badu House Restaurant with some friends when we were in Llano. We loved it so much I took my sister there the following weekend and more friends a few weekends later. Their food is the best! You must go there if you are ever in Llano. We LOVE the Italian Nachos! They have live music and the service is always friendly! Don’t miss out on some wonderful food while you are in Llano!

We’d been on the lake all day. Saw online that Badu House was open until 11:30. Got there late and the kitchen was closed. (thinking Austin time not Llano time, duh.) They couldln’t have been nicer. They knew nothing else would be open so they GAVE us chips, delicious salsa, very unique jalapeño poppers and one of the best desserts we’ve ever had — an apple crumble cheesecake. We had a really good bottle of Montepulciano wine (we are always looking for one when we go out). We were charmed by this place and are looking forward to going back. They went out of there way for us. You can’t miss going here.

My husband and I went to Badu house as a spur of the moment vacation. We were pleasantly surprised to find that Badu House is not only fancy but also affordable. If you are looking for a real bed and breakfast this is the place!
We stayed in the Aberdeen Room, the décor was fantastic; simple, refined and unique. Did I mention they have old school toilets and bathtubs? It was like stepping back in time except for the flat screen tv on the wall.
Lastly, the restaurant within Badu House has an amazing menu and the beer, sweet baby Jesus so much beer. They even make their own brews which are phenomenal. Their Chef Chase is very attentive to his customers and always comes out to greet guests. The menu has something for everyone salads, appetizers, steak, burgers and more.
I can’t wait to go back! Miss it already.

When in Llano the Badu House is a must! In fact, when staying the night in the lovely town of Llano, the Badu House is the best place to stay. Just hit up Danielle the Manager and Chase the Head Chef — — they’ll both take really good care of you.
I’ve been to Llano several times in the past few years, Badu was on my radar via Unilocal but we never connected. I’d drive by and couldn’t tell if the place was open, sometimes it looked deserted, maybe I drove by too fast or wasn’t paying close enough attention. This time I noticed the line of cars parked along the side street and figured why not pull in and see what’s going on.
There’s a courtyard /​garden in the back w/​a small band, several tables populated with customers, and a bar. I went inside — — very nice! It’s like a large Victoria-​style home that’s been transformed into a B&B. Although I still didn’t know they offered rooms for the night until I spoke to Chase at the end of my meal. More on that later.
I opted to sit inside since it was much cooler, the menu has a variety of offerings and they also have a wide selection of wine and beers, including drafts they brew in-​house. I opted for their Bitter Beer which I turned into a Bitter Shandy (with the help of Sprite) and ordered the Llanapenos (jalapenos stuffed with cream cheese + raspberry & wrapped in bacon) and the Chicken Parmesan which was a recent addition to their menu.
Waitress was really sweet and nice, the jalapenos were hot off the charts — — the spiciness blew me away but they were so darn good you kept going back for another bite. The Chicken Parmesan was awesome with the highlight being the chicken breast itself — — it was thick, juicy, tender, and I’d say the best damn chicken I’ve had since I could remember. I’d definitely recommend both dishes.
Chase makes his way around the room to make sure everyone is happy with their meals, he is eager to please and wants feedback to ensure it’s quality good. I ask him for hotel recommendations (my usual stay is Days Inn — meh — but wasn’t sure how Best Western would fair). He lights up and says they have rooms upstairs for rent, which may cost a little more than those options but they’re nice and clean. He took me on a tour and I gotta say I was really impressed — — beds were clean, every room had a flat screen TV, Direct TV, wifi, bathroom, and was immaculate. It would have been nice to know this years ago — but better late than never.
He sent me to the manager — Danielle. She was really sweet and nice to deal with, very professional and explained the pricing and process. You’ll get a room key and free breakfast in the morning — so she took my veggie omelet order and I was ready to crash. Danielle was very pleasant, answered all of my questions and I certainly didn’t mind her cute freckles as well.
My stay was peaceful and quiet, the bed was comfortable and solid — — didn’t wake up with any back issues. Patrons hang out downstairs at the bar and restaurant until 11ish but the house is well-​built and rooms well insulated so that it’s not a distraction. I was able to crank out emails, watch some ESPN as we got hit with the rainstorm, then I slept like a baby. I set up a time in the morning to have my breakfast ready and when I walked down Chase was there to greet me with my omelet on-​the-​go, which was excellent. He threw in some hash browns and bacon — — very nice guy.
I’d say you’re all out of excuses now when in Llano — — visit Danielle and Chase at the Badu House as it will elevate your experience in this lovely desolate and quiet town to a whole new level.

Came to Llano on a business trip & realized my food choices were slim. Subway, Pizza Hut, Sonic… I stayed at yhe Days Inn which is right next door to Badu. Eating at Badu was the only nice thing i did in town. It has old world charm & good service. I would suggest the Guinness burger or fried steak (but everything sounded tasty). They had an impressive beer & wine list (considering where this place was I was very surprised) left hand milk stout, raspberry hefeweizen, cherry & Apple cider. Inside the restaurant they have a nice clean, AIR CONDITIONED & inviting tables & nice bar. They also have a great outdoor area to sit back & relax. I would highly recommend visiting here because there really isn’t much else in this small Texas town. Def will come back here if I visit Llano again!

Went to Llano on a getaway weekend on a whim. Had exhausted the Fredricksburg + San Antonio weekend options, Llano seemed a decent place to stay on the way to enchanted rock. Badu House is a restaurant + b&b that was an old bank Mr. Badu bought out of bankruptcy in 1896.
Llano does not have many hotel options and I actually at one point gave up and was sitting in the parking lot of Days Inn (*shudder*) waiting to see if they had any rooms. Directly in front of me was Badu House. People were parking and gathering in the backyard of this charming little courtyard attached to a stately historic building. I felt divine intervention steering me away from the Days Inn and called the number on their sign. They were a bed & breakfast with wonderful Unilocal reviews, hallelujah!
The rooms were perfectly adorable and spacious. Some B&Bs are outdated but not Badu House. They had all the trappings of luxury situated in such a way to seem accommodating but still maintain their B&B coziness. They even have you talk to the chef when you book a room to see what you want for breakfast.
The people who work here are wonderful, they are full of life and very kind. Their wine +beer list exceeded expectations. They have brews from all over the world, Tiger from Thailand and Warsteiner from Germany along with many other oddities and ciders. I’m a wine drinker and was very pleased. The menu was excellent, from carnivore to leaf eater they cover all bases. My breakfast was also excellent. I didn’t expect to find such fresh helpings of berries and mangos in ye olde Llano but alas, there they were on my breakfast plate-​quelle surprise!
Badu House easily saved my weekend getaway from being a Days Inn disaster to one of finery and ease. I shall return!

We went during the 2^nd annual car show in Llano. The story that goes with the restaurant is great. The food was good, although I can’t really judge it that well based on the fact that it was not a typical weekend. Because of the crowd, they were doing a limited menu.
The chips and salsa an other finger foods we had were great.
The best part was the staff and the EXTENSIVE wine list. I have NEVER seen a wine list so complete. One of the owners is in training to be a sommelier and really can and will guide you to a perfect wine. She certainly did for me.
The prices were unbelieveably low for such a great place. Nice, large patio area. Just an all around relaxed place with good service.
Two thumbs up!