Extremely disappointed in this place after all the raving reviews. We were literally the only people in the restaurant and the service was terrible although they had over 6 people working. They were all too busy hanging out with friends at the bar to properly take care of us. The food was very underwhelming. The best items were the mac and cheese and the cheese curds. The meat was under seasoned and needed lots of sauce to make it taste good. The portions are also pretty small. Definitely the worst meal we had during our time in Boone. read more

I will start by saying the food taste pretty great but the portion you get for the price is awful. We ordered a "platter" of 5 meats for $26.00 and literally they brought out a typical fry size basket. We were blown away by the lack of food included for something considered a "Platter" it should've said basket. The staff seemed to dismiss us when we mentioned how surprised we were for the small portion. We're here visiting from out of state and when we were leaving another local crowd was leaving also stating that they were extremely disappointed by how much they paid for so little food. read more

Howard Station - $26 Platter (it's literally a small basket) - Barbeque Near Me - Boone, North Carolina

When visiting Boone, NC, Jenni and I found the absolutely BEST BBQ we had ever eaten- it was at Howard Station. Howard Station is on Howard Street, which sits right between King and Rivers Street. We went after 5, so we were able to park just across from the restaurant, however it is an easy walk if you have to park on King or in one of the public parking areas. I loved the urban vibe of the outside of Howard Station, but that was nothing to how chic and urban the inside is. They have a main level dining, which is where the bar is located. They also have a lower level seating, which is really cool, because they have decorated it with pictures of the station from the past. Then there is the highly sought after roof top terrace- which has amazing views of Appalachian State College, downtown Boone, and the mountains. Any place you chose to sit will be fabulous! The entire place is filled with the fragrant aroma of the smoking BBQ and the cool, southern hospitality that Chelsea and Cody have showered their restaurant with. We started our meal with the fried green beans- yummy!! Chelsea also brought us a flight of their homemade sauces to try. Each sauce was unique and tantalizing to the tastebuds. It is hard to say which was my absolute favorite, because I really enjoyed them all. However, if I had pick just one it would be the Blueberry Chipotle. Jenni's top pick was the Sweet and Spicy. She says as soon as they start bottling it she has to have a case. For our entrees we had the Signature Pulled Pork Sandwich and the Off the Rail Ribs- we shared so we could enjoy two different meats. The Pulled Pork Sandwich was crazy good!! The bun was warm and soft and seemed to melt right into the pork when you bit into it. The smoke was delicate in flavor, which for me was perfect. The ribs pulled off of the bone perfectly. Again the smoke flavor was delicate and the meat was so tender. For our sides we had the funky fries, the hushpuppies (which go perfect with the Blueberry Chipotle sauce), and the Smoked Mac & Cheese (perfect blend of smoke flavor and creamy cheese). It was a perfect tasting meal. But, of course we did have to try dessert. Chelsea brought us out something she created- a smoked blueberry cobbler. OMG!!! It was delicious!! I have to tell you again, that everything we ate was absolutely incredible. We enjoyed everything about our dining experience at Howard Station. If you love BBQ- then you must make it a priority to go to Howard Station. If you think you don't like BBQ, then you have to go to Howard Station and try it, because you will decide that you love it!! read more

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Ordered takeout. Pork plates and ribs. The pork bbq looked like it had been sitting under a heat lamp, crispy. Tasted as bad as it looked. Mac and cheese was good once you got under the first burnt layer. Really disappointed as the reviews seemed good. Maybe non bbq items are better? read more

We stopped by as we were driving through town. And the staff and owners were exceptional!!! Food was amazing! Ribs and the Mac & cheese . Too bad it's too far otherwise I would be repeat customer. read more

Howard Station - Half rack of ribs - Barbeque Near Me - Boone, North Carolina

This is a relatively new spot in Boone that I tried over the weekend. We both ordered barbecue sandwiches with a side of coleslaw for one and fried green beans as the other. Coleslaw is spicy but good. Fried green beans are alright (very fresh!) but I've had better. Hush puppies were delicious (small, oval) but were a little expensive; I wish you could have varying sizes of orders. Overall, I liked the food but didn't love it. I can be strange with the texture of my barbecue, not liking large clumps, but the taste was on point. They have several unique sauces to try, and for $3, you can get a small ramekin of each. I was shocked to discover my favorite was the Alabama white sauce! Overall, I recommend folks try this place out. It looks especially intriguing for weekend brunch. We ordered our food to go, but pictures online highlight how cute the inside is - especially when you can order cocktails and beer! read more

Beautiful Gem in downtown Boone! Really great BBQ chicken plate. The smoked Mac N' cheese would bring me back every day! Can't wait to come back after the grand opening next week to try the expanded menu! Also... those tiny 'tini drinks are adorably delicious. Clean, well decorated and I can't wait to come see some App State fireworks from the rooftop bar! read more

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The food was amazing, very friendly staff and the prices are reasonable. If you're in the Boone area I would highly recommend Howard Station!!! read more

I called to see if I could place an order of Wings since Thursday is their .75 cent wing night before they closed at 11pm. I didn't know if I'd make the drive in time so I said don't bother with placing the order over the phone. I decided to drive up, I got there 5mins before closing and they allowed me to buy 15 boneless wings ‍. And guesssssssssss what! Idk if it was the cook or the owner or the manager, but this man filled up my to go plate with what seemed like all of the boneless wings in the world! I ate probably 10-12 wings and stopped because I was full and then I realized I wished I would have taken a picture of them or counted them before hand, because after I ate my filling, I counted and there was 12 wings left over!! Needless to say this place is amazing, all of their sauces are 10/10, and their rubs are fire . Highly recommend their wings on Thursday wing night. I cannot guarantee they will give you more than what you paid for though haha I guess I just got lucky. read more

Loved the Chicken sliders and funky fries! These fries are one of my favorite things on the menu. The tacos are also great read more

Howard Station - Chicken sliders and funkyfries - Barbeque Near Me - Boone, North Carolina

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Chelsea creates a most welcome atmosphere and the ribs were the best we have had in Boone, just fantastic! I can't stand green beans and yet their fried green beans were addictive. The wings were divine and I'm a wing snob. You must visit this restaurant and I guarantee you will return again and again. read more

So mediocre. I've heard great things about Howard station but got the mac and cheese and it was pretty dry. My boyfriend got the bbq plate and the fries weren't even cooked enough to not be crunchy like a raw potato. The hushpuppies are equivalent to cookout and the pie was like a grocery store jello pie mix. The food was alright and edible but so disappointing given all the good stuff I have heard read more

Wonderful food. Great atmosphere and exceptional service. My favorite lunch stop in Boone!

Food and Drinks were all fantastic! Service was great and all the staff seemed glad to be there. Ordered the ribs and they were phenomenal. Trust me, get the ribs and you won't regret it. Best BBQ in Boone read more

Truly the best BBQ in town! The staff also went above and beyond for our party with recommendations and attentiveness. We were blown away by the Mac n cheese, and the pulled pork was also a hit. We will definitely come here again. Would highly recommend the sauce flight-- super original flavors (the spicy blackberry one was my favorite!) read more

Howard Station - Pulled pork sliders with sauce flight - Barbeque Near Me - Boone, North Carolina

Great food, drink, and staff! Couldn't imagine a better place to eat at after coming off the mountain! Will be back!

150% recommend! However, is not dietary friendly so beware!! This place is great and it's small portions are an understatement of the big flavor and full stomach after. 10/10 recommend! read more

Oh my gosh! What a fantastic restaurant! We had the best service and food!!! We will be back and we will be bringing the whole family! Thank you for a great lunch, and we know our App State kiddo will be back very soon with her friends too! don't question going, just go, it's FANTASTIC!!! Brian and Kim gives 20 's ! read more

Great service, amazing food. There's literally nothing that I would change about this place. If you go, you will not regret it. To sum up my experience in one word, phenomenal. read more

My wife and I dropped in on this hidden gem not far from the ASU campus and Main Street businesses like the Mast General Store. The outside was a little bit like an empty brick wall but the service was great and the BBQ was awesome. The ribs were tender and had a great smoky flavor. Seriously delicious! But that wasn't even the best part. The brisket and variety of sauces were amazing. The mango habanero sauce was a winner and the spicy sauce was just the right flavorful heat. We will definitely come back,even though the feel is a bit more collegiate than my already graduated self deserves. Great food! read more

Great place to get tacos from on a Tuesday night! Great atmosphere with an outdoor patio up stairs, I love the self ordering station. The staff is very friendly and easy to talk to. The bar is alright it could definitely us a vamp on their liquor options but definitely not bad, drink size are a little small but still great drinks in all. read more

Don't get there late or you may miss the chicken! We were lucky enough to get a spot for two on the rooftop and it was a perfect night to enjoy the view! Our server was actually the owner and she went out of her way to take good care of us. The brisket was good but not great, the Mac n cheese was killer, and we loved the fried green beans. Huge variety of sauces to choose from too. We would give it another try when in Boone! read more

This place is great! The owners and the staff provide great personalized service. The food is awesome (yum!). If you are looking to support a local business, this is the one! Great things will come from this place in the future! Thanks so much for the great food, good drinks and great atmosphere! Julie read more

This place is amazing! Just what Boone needed. Delicious variety on menu, full bar, local feel, and rooftop lounge. We loved it and have been all over Boone....you can't go wrong eating here. Tacos, smoked Mac and cheese delicious. One of our spots for sure! read more

Howard opened right at the start of COVID and the fact that they have still been able to serve some of the best bbq in Boone speaks volumes. I live in Boone and frequent Howard Station because I know that I'll never have a bad experience. Sometimes I get bored of restaurants because I often stick with the same one or two items when I go back, but this is not the case with Howard. I've tried most of the items on the menu and have yet to dislike a single one. Their service is amazing, their menu is tasty and concise, their atmosphere is homey, friendly, and welcoming, and their bbq (along with all the other items they smoke) is off the chain. Would recommend this place a million times over. read more

Great service! Friendly staff who are very attentive and quick to strike up a conversation. Food was good, though apparently they won't have their full menu until later this month after their official opening. The layout of the restaurant is pretty interesting, they have a rooftop lounge, bar, and basement. Decor is lovely. Did not look into the basement, however. read more

Wow! Great food! And great service! If you get pulled bbq, I recommend the Howard Station Hot Sauce. And for a drink get a spicy margarita

Best BBQ in Boone! Great meals and sides and had excellent service. Fun seating and drink options as well!

We just ate lunch there. A local resident told us that it was wonderful. On a scale 1 to 10, it was a 10. The pork bbq sandwich and fried green beans was amazing. This is a must if you are in Boone. read more

This place was one of the few open after 8 pm on a Tues night. We were happy to find a wonderful restaurant with a fantastic menu and beer list! The Smoked Mac and cheese is out of this world! The brisket was so, so good and the Appalachian Black sauce is amazing!! The service is wonderful we never felt neglected and the servers all made wonderful recommendations. Highly recommend!! read more

Have been a couple times in the past month. Howard station is in a GREAT location , has cheap alcohol, good food, and great owners. Don't let it be underrated! Small nice rooftop area as well read more

Mac and cheese with the pork was fantastic. Sauces are great and service was terrific, especially since they're still in soft opening mode. Highly recommended! read more

Everyone was so friendly. Made sure we were taken care of. Awesome food! Highly recommend

The absolute BEST BBQ in the world! Amazing, unique sauces - we couldn't get enough!!!!! Chelsea, the owner, went above & beyond for us! Cannot wait to come back during our next trip to Boone! read more

Always a go to when we're in Boone! Howard Station has the best food, service and atmosphere of anywhere around. If you're in the area, you should definitely stop by! From the sides to the barbecue to the brisket-it is all phenomenal! We will be back soon!!! read more

Great staff, great food! I eat here as often as I can - brisket, smoked mac and cheese - all delicious!

Went for sunday brunch. Awesome service and awesome food. Price and portions were just right.

Amazing $2 BBQ tacos on Tuesdays, margaritas, and a beautiful rooftop overlooking campus. Love the music they play and the inside ambiance!!! read more

My favorite spot in Boone! Amazing drinks, amazing bbq, friendliest staff, and great rooftop that is perfect to feel safe dining at during the pandemic. read more

Service was awful, we went for lunch at 1PM (wasn't crowded at all). Excited, menu looked fantastic. Initially our waiter came by pretty quickly and then left. We never saw him again despite our trying to flag him down while he stood around talking to the other staff. We gave it 10 minutes before leaving. What a bummer. read more