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    Howard’s

    5.0 (32 reviews)
    Closed • 8:00 am - 2:00 pm
    Updated 3 months ago

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    Lobster bisque w/ grilled cheese

    Oh my goodness! This is my first time here! It's conveniently located near our workplace, and I had no idea it existed. The food is absolutely incredible! The prices are reasonable, and the portions are perfectly balanced. I'll definitely be returning to try more of their weekly specials.

    Chinese chicken salad
    Angela W.

    I haven't actually been to Howard's in person but we have been ordering lunch from them recently because it's so good and affordable. From whatvI understand this is a hole in the wall under the escalator. Parking is basically non-existent as this is downtown and they probably rely on foot traffic from the offices during the weekday only. Every day their menu is different but there is some kind of rotating schedule of specials. For instance, they only have nachos every 3 weeks. I wait with baited breath until then as the last time I tasted my co-worker's nachos it was amazing. Very homemade, large portions. I've had 4 salads and all were super yummy: Italian, beet, and Chinese chicken salad and taco salad. The portions are huge. Just wish they could post their daily menu on Instagram or a website.

    Portuguese bean soup
    Crystal R.

    Tucked away in a little corner of the Alakea building is this amazing little shop. I have heard of this place from my fellow colleagues multiple times but never had the chance to try their meals out until recently and now I begin to regret not going here sooner! Their menu always changes daily and depending on what is on the menu and the time you head over there, you might miss out as they make only a limited amount. And that is what makes this place so good. The owners definitely take pride in putting out their meals as you can taste it in every bite. I had the chance to try out their Portuguese Bean Soup and their famous Seafood and Sausage Gumbo (both times I ordered, I was the last one to get it). Both dishes were jam packed with savory flavor with a medium to hot kick of spice. I'm all for the spice so that definitely made my taste buds go crazy! Service is amazing too! They are super friendly to everyone and welcome all to a friendly atmosphere. Since this is a small little shop in an office building, there isn't a place to dine in. But luckily you can either eat outside or take it back to the office for you to indulge. As mentioned, their menu changes daily so it is best to check out their Instagram page for their menu. If there is something you really want, I suggest you either go early or phone it in to secure your order. Overall this is a great find and I can't wait to go back to try out what other home cooked meal they will be offering.

    Beet Salad
    Lily F.

    I love this place which serves great food with good portions and affordable prices. My favorite is beet salad with pieces of chicken. I haven't been able to try some of their daily specials which are posted weekly on their IG page but I hope to.

    Beef Stew
    Cassandra H.

    I've had this place on my lunch list for a while since I work downtown but it's rare that I actually go out to eat. I finally got to try so I checked their IG first like other Yelpers suggested and their special was beef stew and clam chowder. Since I take a late lunch around 1 pm I called ahead to make sure that they had beef stew left. The man who answered said they only had minis which was fine with me. I took a short walk there and it was a really tiny store in the lobby of the Alakea Corporate Tower. For the mini it came out to just under $15. I believe the only difference between a mini and regular from pictures I've seen is that the regular comes with a side of corn and Mac salad. The mini portion was very generous and I was able to make 2 meals out of it. The stew was flavorful and the meat was fall apart tender. It looked like they do have some ready made items and drinks for sale as well. They also open for breakfast. They do have some seating outside of the building but I decided to go back to my office to eat. I will be back to try their other items in the future.

    Seafood and Sausage Gumbo
    Justin R.

    23AUG2023 I got "Seafood and Sausage Gumbo" from Howard's. I believe it's the best "Gumbo" on island. It reminded me of how SF food truck gumbo use to taste before it started tasting like cigarettes. I told my wife I wouldn't be too critical despite coming from a place that is very famous for the dish. I was actually pretty impressed with the the thickness and color of the roux. It was almost like a gravy. There is no right way to make gumbo (inside joke) so I was delighted to see they DID NOT include tomatoes in theirs, but it does have okra. Once again the portion was generous and I was happy with the offering. Their Gumbo definitely put the other area Gumbos to shame (easily). P.S. I hear they run out pretty quick, so if you are interested it's probably a good idea to call ahead of time and make sure they still have it before you make the frustrating trek through the city in vain.

    Seafood Gumbo...
    Henry R.

    Have eaten here a few times...it's one out go to places when we are at work. I usually get the same stuff, that's my downfall...they chicken salad and taco salads are pretty darn good but my favorites here are the chowders and the seafood gumbo...both are full of delicious ingredients that just make it feel like a home cooked meal. The gumbo has lots of sausage, shrimp and okra....it's just damn delicious. They only have daily specials so sometimes they sell out...but the chowder and gumbo are worth it!

    Avocado toast (before 10am) and yogurt parfait (greek yogurt, strawberries and blue berries and honey by choice).
    Pua S.

    Avocado toast is my favorite they also make great salads and have great healthy Snack options. Every Now and again I treat myself to their Desserts when they have it i love lemon bars and theirs is good. Prices are so good for being in town!

    Strawberry Ice Cream Slushy, Grilled Cheese, Salad, & Tomato Bisque
    Kyle M.

    O'ahu is filled with amazing eats and hole in the walls. However, inch for inch, all things considered, Howard's tops them all. COVID-19: Traci and Troy wear masks at all times, and keep Howard's clean and tidy. SERVICE: Traci and Troy, the owners, are the nicest, friendliest, and warmest people you can come across. They are so welcoming, they make friends with everyone in the building. RESTAURANT: Howard's is a tiny, unassuming spot. It is located on the ground floor (NOT lobby floor) of 1100 Alakea Street, a high rise business building in Downtown Honolulu. It is easy to miss because it is tucked in a corner on the side of escalators, opposite the elevators and to the left of the escalators when walking in the front doors of the building. Howard's is take-out only without any seating, but you can sit outside in the building's courtyard or at tables down the block. FOOD: The menu changes every day. It typically includes salads, sandwiches, a daily soup, and a daily main entree. All of the salad dressings are homemade and amazing. My favorite is the blue cheese. The soups range from lobster bisque to clam chowder to seafood gumbo. They are thick, earthy, and soul-warming. The entrees range from furikake salmon to chicken luau to kalua pork nachos. Every dish is homemade and reminds you of eating at your mom's house. You can taste the love and care in every bite, including the side dishes. The preparation and execution is spot on. The portions are generous and leave you feeling happy and satiated. OVERALL: I've eaten Howard's around fifteen times and I've loved every dish! I love supporting these locals and feeling their love. Stop by Howard's for your lunch hour in Downtown or to grab food for the beach. They also provide catering, which is just as quality as the regular menu!

    Thursday Lunch Special!
    Mikey K.

    Never disappoints always Yummo's & Onolicious great amount of food for the price awesome place & great service

    Corn Chowder
    Sheryl S.

    Corn Chowder on Mondays... delicious! This was a $6 size. They also have a $7 and $14 size. The larger one is great to take home and will feed 2 people easily.

    Hamburger steak
    Mark S.

    Nice little lunch spot inconspicuously located in an office building. All the entrees I've tried has been good and the portions are generous. There's usually a few entrees of the day and they post their menu weekly. I like the panini's and soups they often have and the spaghetti salad that comes instead of mac. The family that runs it is also really nice.

    Taco salad with pico de gallo and tortilla chips

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    2 years ago

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    7 months ago

    'Ono food! Great price and good quantity! Love it! You're missing out if you don't try their specials!

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    3 years ago

    The service and the food is good. The workers there are really nice. I come here when I'm working around the area.

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    5 years ago

    Love this place! Traci and Troy are the best and everything is delicious

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    Fete - ROBYNNE'S CAKE ®° Chocolate ulu-rum-raisin cake, frozen kulolo, Manoa chocolate rum sauce, cocoa streusel

    Fete

    4.4(1.4k reviews)
    0.2 mi•Downtown
    •$$$

    Took my aunt here, she loved it!…read more Pros- the food, always delicious! Service, always great too! The biscuit with honey butter... after my aunt took a bite, she said, "wow!" It was quite tasty! Another fun and tasty meal! Cons- parking if you drive, but if you take a Lyft or an Uber, you'll be fine!

    Second time dining at Fête and had another amazing experience. The staff are quick, knowledgeable,…read moreand friendly. The food is outstanding and there are a ton of unique cocktail options. We started with a shrimp elote special and the chicken liver mousse. The shrimp elote was unique and flavorful. The mousse was my favorite thing of the night. So rich and creamy and the cherry marmalade paired so well with it. Love that they provided ample bread to go with it. I had to try the la chancla cocktail - the mayo washed mezcal caught my eye. It sounds a little strange but it was very good and was quite strong. For entrees we got the carbonara and zucchini lemon risotto. The carbonara was really rich and the Portuguese sausage added a nice touch. Looking at pictures of it beforehand I was worried the portion size would be small but it's served on a large bowl making the portion look smaller than it is. The risotto had a refreshing tangy sweetness from the lemon. Both have the option of adding on crispy prosciutto for $4. We didn't but saw some that other people ordered and it looked amazing - next time! One of the servers there provided a great recommendation with a wine pairing for the carbonara and let me try a rose before committing. It wasn't something I would normally have chosen but it worked well and I'm grateful for his helpfulness.

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    Fete - Dining room and Bar at Fete

    Dining room and Bar at Fete

    Fete - CHAZ BURGER* Local grass-fed beef, caramelized onions, cheddar cheese, vine-ripened tomatoes, butter lettuce, roasted garlic aioli

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    Livestock Tavern - Flambé bone marrow

    Livestock Tavern

    4.2(1.2k reviews)
    0.3 mi•Downtown
    •$$$

    Im torn. I would love to gate keep this place but it deserves to be talked about more. I was lucky…read moreenough to get a reservation at 7:30 last minute for Mother's Day and that is hard to come by for special occasions. We were expecting good things due to other reviews and we were not disappointed. We loved the restaurant rustic vibe, the servers were on it, food came out in excellent time frames and the food itself.... Delicious! Not pictured was the ox tail Mac & cheese, lobster spinach artichoke dip and the cornbread which were bigger portions than we expected. I would even go back just for the black cherry soda. With that being said with seasonal menus I'm excited to go back to try other dishes and I Highly recommend this restaurant

    Gf wanted to go have the Smoked Prime, so a few of us had girls night dinner. Baby with us, so…read moreearly dinner and home early. Staff always so nice there. But food fell short this time... I was staaaarving so for me and baby I ordered: - Cornbread - I love their cornbread. This was my fave of all the dishes we had. - Bone Marrow - This was probably the biggest marrow I've had anywhere. Like choke marrow. Awesome. Alcohol didn't light on the whole plate so only had little bit and baby couldn't have any. Think no bourbon next time. Just sprinkle some salt and it would be perf. - Chopped - All kine goodies in this salad but the dressing was very "nothing." I added some garlic salt when I ate the leftovers and it kicked it up a notch. - Chicken Pappardelle - The pasta was terrible. So thick and doughy. Took away from the chicken which was okay. Ended up dumping the leftover pasta...which was pretty much the whole thing. - Oxtail Mac & Cheese - This was more like an Oxtail Helper (like Hamburger Helper). Very not cheesey. Baby ate some but think she wanted more cheese. Tasted better the next day. Friends had the Prime. The temp on each was given to the wrong person, which needed to be right since 1 person didn't get the roasted pot. The medium-rare one was cold. Like COLD. Strange. Overall think they fell a little short on the food. Some things GREAT, some thing the opposite, so balanced out. Will I go back? Of course, but now I know what not to get.

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    Livestock Tavern - Unclean bathrooms 0/5 stars

    Unclean bathrooms 0/5 stars

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    Lobster moco

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    Smith & Kings - Blueberry French Toast

    Smith & Kings

    4.1(671 reviews)
    0.3 mi•Downtown
    •$$

    Been here a couple of times when we're downtown for a show at Hawai`i theater. They're ok for what…read morethey do, in a unique older building, but unfortunately, this last time was not even up to that level of service. Waited over ten minutes to even get greeted and was not sure if this would cause us to miss happy hour. I did see one of the servers more focused on a baby in a carrier then waiting on tables. When our server finally came, different from the baby lady, we had to ask for menus but knew we needed to order a couple of HH food items cause it will take a while. They were out of Stella so settled for a Japanese Pilsner, which was surprisingly better than expected. Daughter ordered their Mac and cheese with chix. Sad to say it took a long time to get our food and had to constantly look back attempting to get our server's attention for refills of my beer and checking on when our food order would arrive. Daughter commented we should have sat at the bar. They seemed to get beverage orders much quicker and I imaging food as well. If there is a next time, sitting at the bar is the plan. Better yet, find a better place with better service.

    We are back in town visiting with friends and family and wanted to do happy hour and possibly…read moretrivia and behold we found the perfect place. Parking is tough but we found a spot a few blocks away. It's seat yourself and at the time there was plenty of seats. If you're going for trivia it's popular and started filling up around 530. Our server came over and got us started pretty quick. 3 in the group ordered mules and by the time I was ready to order one they ran out of ingredients for mules. This kind of sucked mid way through happy hour and one of the main drinks on that menu is not available. Not to worry, we tried a few of the other selections including the cucumber collins, and the mojito. We also ordered some appetizers and food, the fried mozzarella was very good, along with the wings. The wings were cooked well and were crispy. Our friends had the chicken sandwich and the fish and chips and both were enjoyed. Overall it was a good time with food and drinks and trivia. If you're around give them a try.

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    Smith & Kings - Casual, fun vibe

    Casual, fun vibe

    Smith & Kings - Lobster Poutine

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    Local Joe - Breakfast croissant & lox for us  Local Joe be there for us when we need a break from fluorescent light.

    Local Joe

    4.6(627 reviews)
    0.3 mi•Downtown
    •$$

    Did my research to find Kona coffee for my upcoming visit to Vancouver, so I walked from home and…read moretook shelter in Local Joe's to cool off and order some 100% Kona Mauna Kea Estate coffee and have it ground. Liv was so delightful and clearly the right person for the job so I knew I was in the right place. In the meantime I ordered an iced coffee (which was delicious!!!!) and sat down and watched folks come and go. This is clearly a popular local coffee and snack shop so I will keep this place in mind since it's locally owned and operated and their decaf is processed via osmosis, not chemicals. That's a big plus.

    A small little coffee shop located in downtown. There are a few tables outside to enjoy your…read morecoffee. I've stopped by twice so far and each time, I've been greeted with friendly service. The tables are usually taken so I just take my drink to go. I ordered a strawberry matcha drink on my first visit and a French Toast latte on my second visit. The second time I went, they didn't know how to make my drink so the girl had to read the ingredients that were listed on their own menu posted on the counter for customers. Maybe hardly anyone orders it or she was new and learning? It did take a while for me to get my coffee. The waiting area is quite small so there wasn't much room for me to go anywhere. Overall, the drinks have been good with a variety of seasonal drinks and specials as well. I'll probably return for my coffee fix as it seems to be one of the few coffee shops in the area open on Sundays. Happy Drinking!

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    Local Joe - Counter

    Counter

    Local Joe - Turkey Bacon Breakfast Burrito

    Turkey Bacon Breakfast Burrito

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    Liliha Bakery - Poi Donut

    Liliha Bakery

    3.7(2.4k reviews)
    0.7 mi
    •$$

    If you are looking for a casual dining sit down restaurant, Liliha Bakery is one of the best places…read moreto go to. It's the table and space is very spacious that you don't have be afraid of been squished with other people. Besides that, they have a pretty good selection too! Price is reasonable with the portion of the food is serve. Miso Butter Fish 5/5: I will never be tried of eating & ordering the miso butter fish. It's definitely one of the best butter fish in a non-Japanese restaurant. It's buttery, with the perfect level of the miso flavor that's not salty or blend/no miso flavor. The fish it's cooked into perfection that's not overcooked. Although it's pricery compare to other dishes, but it's worth it; especially the butter fish is a pretty big size that comes w/ salad and rice. Grilled Garlic Chicken 4.5/5: The garlic chicken is not the same as a regular garlic chicken that you get from a barbecue restaurant; it doesn't have that barbecue sauce flavor. However, it's still taste pretty good. The garlic flavor is there, but not so strong that over power the taste of the chicken. More importantly, chicken is not overcooked as some restaurants can overcook the chicken. However, it comes w/ gravy on top of the chicken. If you eat it w/ the gravy, you probably will it be able to taste the garlic. Mac Nut Waffard 4.5/5 This is not the regular waffles. This "waffard" it's the Mac nut waffle that comes with their iconic custard, fruits and whipped cream. The waffle is super soft & fluffy with a crispy outside edges. Also, the waffle is not mushy, rather, it has a slightly mochi/chewy texture. The waffle is also not over sweet that actually can be pair with their famous custard fillings. Pancakes 5/5 I normally not a pancake person because I am afraid that it can be over sweet or very bland that has no taste but a flour flavor. But I fall in love with the pancake at first try because it's soooo fluffy and soft! More importantly, it's not sweet that actually can be paired with syrup and butter. However, it's also not bland that can be just eaten by itself without syrup or butter. Hands down on it! Plus, the size of the pancake is actually pretty big.

    So so good, Hawaiian classic. It was our first spot as soon as we landed and so glad it was the…read more1st! Tried the loco moco and portuguese sausage, both were so good and ofc food here is very salty. Service was friendly and great, love the history on the walls of when it first opened. Would also love to try the bakery items but would love to be back!!

    Photos
    Liliha Bakery - Coco puffs, pastries

    Coco puffs, pastries

    Liliha Bakery - Toasted roll with raspberry sweet spread

    Toasted roll with raspberry sweet spread

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    Nami Kaze - Dining area

    Nami Kaze

    4.5(801 reviews)
    1.3 mi•Iwilei
    •$$

    It was so sad this business is closing down by Oct 31st. With rising food costs, inflation and…read morestaffing, it's understandable but I wish best endeavors for Chef Jason Peel and his staff. My fiance won a gift card actually 2 of them (from his coworker whom could not get a reservation secured), we knew we had to make the trip over before they officially close. We had multiple dishes, but staff made Kauai prawns and tomato miso black cod dishes on the house since they ran out the Hokkaido scallops. We ordered the short ribs, lobster appetizer, hamachi crudo and lastly sashimi moriawase to finish food palate. Lukki lemon dessert was great way to end to night. Ordered the Milk tea bouquet cocktail while my better half had water ( either way the food coma knock him out cold the rest of the night lol). To be honest, it was difficult to determine which dish was the best because the staff kept quality there despite it being busy every night since they announce the closure. Sashimi moriawase, fish was so fresh, reminded me of my time spent in Hokkaido and Sapporo. Short ribs was soft and rich in flavor. Both me and my fiance liked the lukki lemon dessert, like lemon meringue pie but broken down version. If you have a chance to dine here before closing and got a reservation, definitely will have a lovely dining experience and your stomach will be full by end of the night.

    Husband and I tried Nami Kaze in our recent trip to Hawaii. This place is huge! I was so glad to be…read moreseated in the side room because I found it to be a lot calmer, less people and no TV. The staff were friendly and very helpful with giving us recommendations. We ordered 3 appetizers and 2 entrees, and honestly it was too much food for us. We had leftovers for breakfast the next day! - For appetizers we got: Ulu Tots, Japanese Eggplant, and Corn Beignets. The Corn Beignets was the best. - For entree we got: Tomato Miso Black Cod and the Short Rib. Both were delicious and worth a try. Sad to see that this restaurant appears to be closing.

    Photos
    Nami Kaze - Nami bento

    Nami bento

    Nami Kaze
    Nami Kaze

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    Howard’s - desserts - Updated September 2026

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