His predecessors in the 100-year-old E.J. Cleveland General Store building "gently" resisted change, but James Rios is taking an approach to restaurant ownership that he hopes will invite growth in Buda while also honoring its past.

"Gently resisting change since 1913" was a tagline of E.J. Cleveland General Store, the original business at 100 N. Main St. The mantra had been impressed on the south-facing exterior wall until Rios opened his Cajun restaurant there in June.

While much of the interior has changed, the restaurateur salvaged its floors and century-old tin ceiling tiles. The name of the steak and seafood dining establishment pays homage to its roots.

"It was only appropriate to keep the name," said Rios, who also owns Centerfield, a Kyle sports bar. "I didn't want to rewrite history."

He tips his hat to his predecessors, but Rios, who settled here four years ago, aims to attract more people to the city, specifically downtown.

In providing a cuisine not as common in Central Texas as Tex-Mex or barbecue, he hopes to generate interest in the historic district and highlight its rich tradition.

"I truly believe [Buda and Kyle] have the ability to turn into a miniature Fredericksburg or Kerrville," Rios said.

Cleveland's has become a favorite of local Realtor Bruce King.

"I frequent the place," King said. "I love the food. I hold meetings with clients there on a regular basis, and I meet friends there.

"What [Rios has] done is helped some of the other businesses to attract people to downtown," he said. "We've got a neat little community there. We are just trying to get people to come and enjoy the community."

A native of California, King said Buda residents ought to embrace growth and build from it.

Among the popular items on the menu are the Snapper Pontchartrain, shrimp and grits, and pecan-crusted tilapia.

The bar has 16 beers on tap and more than 30 wine selections. It also serves martinis and other specialty drinks thanks to a mixed beverage license.

The freezer-less restaurant butchers its own meat, which allows it to serve up fresh steak and seafood at affordable rates, Rios said.

About 45 lunch and dinner items are featured on the menu. On Saturdays and Sundays, 20 to 25 brunch items are served.

"[Buda residents] no longer need to make a trip to Austin to enjoy a quality meal," Rios said.

The owner said he has taken note of the sense of community his patrons, like King, have found in the restaurant.

"Everyone here, I feel like they take ownership," he said. "They want to maintain what it's become.

"We hope to be here forever and grow with Buda."

Cleveland's, 100 N. Main St., Buda, 512-312-4387

Hours: 11 a.m.–11 p.m. Mon., Tues.; 11 a.m.–midnight Wed.–Fri., Sun.; 11 a.m.–1 a.m. Sat.