It was our Last night on the island. Everyone says you have to go to Howard's. No you don't. Cool vibe, large space. If you eat like a 10 year old, it's fine. Our waitress was from New England and we couldn't get her to understand the difference between NE clam chowder and anything else. We wanted NE clam chowder. Cream base. The soup of the day was a clam soup with a clear stock. We asked for the cream based clam chowder. She brought the shrimp chowder. Full of corn and potatoes. No shrimp. We asked and she said 'you wanted the cream base' to which all of us relied that we said the cream based CLAM chowder. If they didn't have it, she never said they didn't have it. She brought out the other broth based soup of the day and I cannot believe how BAD it was. It tasted like the stock deglazed a cast iron pot with scorched bacon in it. Sour and metallic. Just foul. The flounder of the day was fine. The Mac n cheese was bland. Husband ordered onion rings but what she brought were seriously overcooked. I can't believe she brought them to the table. Hoping we'd eat them? She took forever to come back and we didn't have to say much. She knew. If that apparent, why serve it?! Pricey crappy dinner. Would have rather spent that or more on better service and food just down the block. read more

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Not quite a dinner, more like a snack. I stopped here after the music started to get loud next door. It was much more quiet over here and my waiter was fine with me sitting with a beer after I'd finished my Buffalo Shrimp for a while. The food here is not cheap but it's seafood and it's on an island where their supply chain is probably driving up the costs. So it's about as expensive as everywhere else on Ocracoke. It's family friendly and it's good. [Review 777 of 2025 - 4209 in North Carolina - 24337 overall] read more

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Absolutely excellent experience. Super friendly service, great atmosphere- seems like an institution without feeling touristy. Got the fresh catch, blackened and it was cooked and seasoned to perfection. All local beers on tap and a nice drink selection. Gluten free items are clearly marked and space is relatively accessible. Ramp (though very long!) to get in and relatively accessible restrooms. About a 15 minute drive once you get off the ferry. Would absolutely come back. read more

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Food was delicious, however the kids did not like their "fried shrimp" off the kids menu. It wasn't breaded, which I thought was odd. Service was great! Our waiter was very attentive and friendly. Ambiance was typical of a pub. Very active and some what noisy. Walls are covered in random things. We did however find our family college flags on the wall, which was pretty kool to see. We would definitely visit again if we make it to the island. read more

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You have to love Howards!  It has something for everyone in a clean, spacious and inviting setting. We sat at the bar and the bartender was amazing! Even though he was busy, he was very attentive, friendly, and mixing good drinks that were not watered down. When a place has oyster shooters that allow you to keep the shot glass afterwards, one must order that!  The beers were cold and the mixed drinks very tasty.  We had the crab dip appetizer which was delicious and accompanied by warm soft pita chips and the hushpuppy basket (amazing). If you are visiting Ocracoke for the day, include Howard's Pub in your afternoon plans. read more

BEST meal we had on the island. Ate here three times in three days. The oysters were the best my husband and I have ever had. Super fresh and super local. We literally ate 3 dozen raw in one sitting. Every single thing we ordered was incredible - including the desserts. Service was absolutely wonderful and the decor is SO fun. We will be back !!! read more

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Very nice bar and restaurant in downtown Ocracoke NC. Fun decorated dinning space with sea and pirate themes and lots of state plates. Cool angled interior space with a rustic feeling open post and beam roof. Grabbed a pound of peal and eat shrimp. Drinks were strong and savory however a bit pricy. They do close a bit early @ 10 or so. There was no live music however the bar was lively and friendly. read more

Ate here for lunch today and was impressed with the food and service. I had the grilled mahi sandwich and my wife had the fried fish sandwich (bluefish). Both were excellent! The fries looked as if they cut them on site, although I doubt they did. The margarita was delicious and hard cider my wife had was good as well. This restaurant has a bit of a dive bar feel, but was clean and orderly. The prices were reasonable. I recommend you give it a try if on the island. read more

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EVERY Time I am back on the Island, I have to stop at Howard's for the grilled tuna sandwich. They just do it right here, just barely seared on both sides. Add some fries, a few beers, and an excellent attentive yet relaxed staff, and you've got a great experience. Come here to enjoy some Island life read more

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Really good place. Service was great Indoor and outdoor setting. Sky Deck is cool. Good food and drinks. I highly recommend. read more

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Great service, food, and ambiance. One of my favorites on the island. Anytime I'm there for work this is a stop! read more

Howard's Pub & Raw Bar Restaurant - Seafood Near Me - Ocracoke, North Carolina

Really good service and the food was excellent. Would go back every time we are up at Ocracoke!!!

We took a day trip from Nags Head down and enjoyed lunch here after getting off of the ferry. We sat in a booth at the bar and had a friendly waiter. We enjoyed the fried pickles and buffalo shrimp, split a burger, and our son enjoyed the kid's fried shrimp with Mac -n- cheese (he loved the Mac -n- cheese so much he ordered a 2nd side of it. The only negative is the kid's meals are a little overpriced. read more

Howard's Pub & Raw Bar Restaurant - Seafood Near Me - Ocracoke, North Carolina

Our go-to place to eat when we visit Ocracoke. Food was great and sweet iced tea was okay. Only 4 stars because our waitress checked on us maybe twice (first time being to take our order) and had to wait until she brought our check to ask for refills. The hush puppies are one of our favorites and a must-have at Howard's. We'll definitely be back and always enjoy the fun decor! read more

The food that everyone got was ok. The service was great for a Friday afternoon in early June. I just had difficulty with the waitress who immediately seated us at the bar to wait for who we were meeting That would've been fine except they were seated in the restaurant and our texts were not going through. If you know reception is a difficulty on your island, you might want to have your guests look for the person they are meeting first. read more

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extremely over priced for portions of the foods. seafoods platters were small portion for $35.99 not worth it. Disappointing. wont recommend, won't go back. read more

Went for lunch today, off season. Waiter was excellent, accommodating and friendly. We got the mozzarella sticks for appetizers, really good actually had taste! Cheeseburger with cheddar cheese, cooked perfectly but the bun was a bit stale and fell apart came with French fries, they were disappointing, a bit soggy with oil. My friends enjoyed their lunch too, prices were reasonable. I'd go back, they had a fun atmosphere too. read more

We've been to Howard's Pub many times over the years -- same bartender every time, and service has always been solid. But after this last visit, we're seriously rethinking coming back. We took two Fireball shots and were charged $12 each. Let that sink in -- $24 for two shots of bottom-shelf liquor you can buy 10 mini bottles of for $10 on the island. That's not just overpriced -- it's straight-up price gouging, and it feels like a slap in the face to your customers. We own a bar in another beach town, and this kind of pricing is just gross. No amount of "island upcharge" justifies that. It's greedy, and it puts a sour taste in our mouths. Plenty of other places around here that know how to treat people right -- we'll be giving them our business instead. read more

Peter was amazing! Light hearted and laid back. We came because online they showed GF menu. Big kiddo had a burger and he said it was amazing8/10 and his rating is 9/10. Little guy had mac w fries and he says 10/10 We had mahi Blackened - little to much but good Grilled - what I expected Fries were amazing Food came out SUPER FAST. Was not bad overall read more

Howard's Pub & Raw Bar Restaurant - Seafood Near Me - Ocracoke, North Carolina

Howard's Pub is always our dinner spot the first day on the Island. Family tradition. Catch of the day is my go to. Hush puppies are always on the table. Burgers are delicious. I always squeeze in an Italian sub during the week. We sit out on the screened in porch to feel the breeze. Service is excellent no matter how many grandkids are with us. Kids love the ring hook and foosball while waiting for food. Good supply of tee shirts, hats and cups. read more

Howard's Pub & Raw Bar Restaurant - Screened in porch area - Seafood Near Me - Ocracoke, North Carolina

Cute and big sports bar with license plates and college banners everywhere. My group and I ordered the calamari to share. Fried tasty calamari with your usual marinara sauce. I ordered the grilled offshore fresh fish of the day, which was Mahi Mahi. It was $32 yesterday and very filling with the two sides. Someone else in the group ordered the sea scallops and locally caught fresh fish of the day, which was blue fish. We all agreed blue fish tasted better than the Mahi. The blue fish was very flaky! Everything tasted good but none of the dishes blew anyone away. Cool spot to grab food and drinks! read more

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We stop here twice a year when we visit Ocracoke, and it's well worth it! I had crab cakes, potatoes, and coleslaw. The crab cakes were huge! The service is great! The inside is decorated with signs, license plates, and stickers. read more

great waiter i got some good fish and such good service whoever the bald waiter is amazing! little tweak Mathew h

Howard's is fantastic! So very cool inside with all of the patches from different service members, the license plates from different states, and the cool memorabilia adorning the walls. The server we had is a life long professional. She has a smile that would light up Ocracoke Light House without the bulb. The shrimp I had is perfect. Asked for more old bay (the Maryland in me) and she brought it out in a shaker. That's how Maryland crab houses do it. Seriously this place is famous for a reason. Next time I come to OI you'll see me at this pub. Till next time.... read more

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This is literally the spot everyone pulls into after getting off the ferry. And why not? It's spacious and pleasantly close after leaving the ferry. The wait staff is full of smiles and the drinks are good. Conch fritters, since almost no one has them anywhere, are one of my favorites! And no, I didn't have any room for dessert. The lovely waitress convinced me to get a hurricane, which was nice and smooth going down with my conch fritters. At $12 per drink, it can get pretty pricey if you're not paying attention. Luckily I did! Definitely be back! read more

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Atmosphere and service are second to none. We sat at the bar and chatted up the bartender about the island. He gave us a lot of information about living on the island year round. Wings came with 7 that were very meaty and the Mahi Mahi sandwich was cooked perfectly and a nice portion that my wife and I split. Inside looks like a place that the locals would frequent. read more

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Seated right away in the screened in porch area. Waitress was really nice. Ordered a draft and various sodas. After waitress dropped off drinks she came Back around and gave me a second beer because the first was a mistake that she figured out. Ordered a chocolate martini later that was just so so. Had the chef special Mahi Mahi, fried shrimp, fried oysters, and kids Mac and cheese. The chefs special was a generous filet, the other entrees were great. Ordered hush puppies side which were good but on the sweeter side. Good experience overall. We would visit again. read more

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Is this place ever cool inside, with different rooms and license plates everywhere on the walls. We sat in the big room with screens, which was just like sitting outdoors. Very cool. Our server was really friendly. We ordered oysters and wine. Menu prices were reasonable. The oysters were perfect on the half shell and really fresh. read more

Howard's Pub & Raw Bar Restaurant - Seafood Near Me - Ocracoke, North Carolina

This place is an island must. The decor is whimsical and fun. The wait staff was awesome all around. I got the red drum blackened. It came out with two large fillets cooked perfectly. The wife had pulled pork sandwich which came with a large helping of pork which had very good Smokey flavor. We got the fried pickles for an appetizer. They were crispy and flavorful with a nice dipping sauce. Howard's also has the best t-shirts and sweatshirts for sale. read more

The food is prepared as specified; service is quick and unless they have what you specially ordered- they will not throw something together and serve to you!! Servers are extremely pleasant and work hard to keep customers satisfied!!! Nice 'pub' atmosphere. Outdoor seating; they don't crowd you up with other customers. Quick to service and worth every second!!! read more

Was my first stop on the island and thought it would be where I would go quite a few times. Ordered a hurricane drink which was way too much fruit juice and a very questionable amount of alcohol. Decided at $15 to cut my losses and leave. read more

This place is absolutely superb. Brandon is a phenomenal bartender. The food is great, service prompt, and there's plenty of selection. Overall, a wonderful experience. read more

An Ocracoke staple. Local food favorites. Good selection of beer. Staff is always friendly and on point. A good pit stop before the ferry. read more

Howard's Pub & Raw Bar Restaurant - Check out the pen-nets and license plates. - Seafood Near Me - Ocracoke, North Carolina

The food was delicious. I had the clam strips which were a great reminder of childhood. The bar has a funky beach vibe. The group I went with spent some time looking for college flags and everyone found their and their kids. The service was friendly. read more

Howard's Pub & Raw Bar Restaurant - Clam strips - Seafood Near Me - Ocracoke, North Carolina

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really good I got the mahi mahi sandwich it was so good service was ok everything was good I like this small little place I arrived on this island read more

Howards has been a tradition in our family when we visit Hatteras Island, and take the ferry to Ocracoke for decades. Average pub fare, fresh seafood, great service, a bit on the pricey side. My kids wish they serve, grown-up meals and frisbees as well! Also, great T-shirt selection! read more

Howard's was an excellent place for lunch on the way to the lighthouse. I was so impressed with the way that made my beyond burger (check out the picture). Hush puppies were also delicious (super crispy), and my side of broccoli was very well cooked and seasoned (which is something I can be very picky about). The atmosphere is great for groups, and they even have a cool roof deck. Though they claim you can see an ocean view, this is a bit of a stretch. I recommend them highly! read more

Howard's Pub & Raw Bar Restaurant - Beyond burger - Seafood Near Me - Ocracoke, North Carolina

The food was good, our waitress was excellent, and the place was very relaxed. Nice place!

Fun atmosphere. Good food at all prices. Stopped here after a day at the beach, and Howard's was a good choice. Some of the group had been here before. Menu is extensive with seafood, burgers, munchies and a kids' menu. Beer list on tap has a nice variety. I got the brown ale to go with the fried oyster basket. Was delicious, and the serving wasn't large, just right. The tuna steak sandwich looked great. The burgers were enjoyed. The walls are conversation pieces. Food came quickly mid afternoon. read more

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We usually come here and it's good. I'm not sure what happened but we could not eat our lunch. The portion sizes do not match the prices. The fries came out cold, no one ate them and the server asked why when we told him he just shrugged. Wow! The kids burgers were rare so that was it for them, yuck! When we asked to speak to the manger on duty we were told they was none. So maybe that is where the problem was. Sadly a family tradition is now gone ! There are too many options now on the island for the service and the food to go down! read more