Stopped into Howard's Bar for dinner on a random Tuesday evening with a party of five, including a couple of kids. The place is split into a bar area with tables and a smaller dining area. We opted for the dining section since we had little ones with us. There was one server covering our section, which had our table and another table. While she seemed to be keeping up with orders reasonably well, her friendliness left something to be desired. As the face of the restaurant, especially in a family-friendly section, a warmer attitude would've gone a long way. Food-wise, everything we ordered was solid. I had the deluxe patty melt with fries which was tasty, well-cooked, and a generous portion. Others at the table had walleye strips, nachos, mac and cheese, and another sandwich (can't remember the name). Across the board, everyone enjoyed their meals, and the portions were definitely generous for the price. Overall, Howard's delivered on food and portion size, but the service could use a little polish to make it a more welcoming experience. Would I come back? I'd likely consider, I just hope the service is better this time. read more

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Hamburgers are tasty. All cooked perfectly. Juicy. Offer a variety of cheeses and toppings. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The bar has a laid-back old school vintage vibe.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Friendly servers. read more

Howard's - Bars Near Me - Stillwater, Minnesota

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This was the most surprising spot on our trip! We had the cheese curds with dill ranch (10/10), and split the Cajun club (also 10/10) with fries (100/10 - crispy shoe strings!) very friendly staff and quick service. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Casual yet cool bar space.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Reasonable prices. Will be back! read more

Howard's - Cheese curds with dill ranch - Bars Near Me - Stillwater, Minnesota

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The Food is Amazing! We went there with friends. [[HIGHLIGHT]]I was a little disappointed going into what looked like a regular old bar.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Wow, was I wrong: we started out with a smoked trout dip appetizer - super fresh - incredible! I had the Philly cheese steak sandwich on the recommendation of our server. The description said it was made with prime rib and I'm like yeah sure... Well, it was, and not only that they have fried the meat to get a nice crunchy texture on the ends. Perfection. The best Philly Steak sandwich I've ever had - including in Philly... Stillwater, you got it going on!! read more

Howard's - Nice, casual vibe. - Bars Near Me - Stillwater, Minnesota

Amazing restaurant and great prices for downtown Stillwater. I recommend the fries with homemade ranch and the white chicken chili. Everything I've tried here has been great. read more

[[HIGHLIGHT]]Dive bar vibe with the best food![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] We got the trout dip -- the pickled veggies were so good and the dip was light and fresh. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Super nice stuff, comfy atmosphere, good bar menu[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] New fave! read more

Howard's - Bar vibe - Bars Near Me - Stillwater, Minnesota

I can't believe there are no Yelp reviews on the Walleye Sandwich at Howard's. It was the best I've ever had! The filet was generously sized, super succulent and perfectly battered. The goodness didn't stop there. As others have mentioned, the smoked trout dip/spread is to die for. Adding pickled vegetables was a nice touch. We sampled the chicken chili was tasty and included a generous amount of chicken. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Howard's may have a dive bar atmosphere, but the food we sampled exceeded our expectations![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

Howard's - Walleye Sandwich - Bars Near Me - Stillwater, Minnesota

As locals this is hands down our favorite restaurant in town. While the menu is very much "bar food" they use higher quality ingredients than most and everything tastes like it was made from scratch. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The atmosphere is very causal and the service has always been friendly, even when they are slammed.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] This is where we send everyone when they ask us for lunch/dinner recommendations! read more

I was very surprised how the good food is! It's a bar, in a tourist city... which doesn't typically translate to made from scratch kitchens. This place is fantastic. The walleye boats were cooked perfectly and had a crispy batter. The homemade dressing on the salad was remarkable. The lasagna was sooooo good. Lasagna away from is usually not that great, but this was one of the best I've had. read more

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Fast and friendly service. The hot roast beef was delicious and the prices are good. We liked the relaxed atmosphere too.

[[HIGHLIGHT]]Fun atmosphere between the servers and decor, made it fun and casual.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Prime rib sandwich was killer and the soup of the day was very tasty. Will be back. Great job read more

Best burger in all of Stillwater. Great staff and an amazing experience every time we come here! [[HIGHLIGHT]]It's a small local bar feel with a great selection of drinHoward's never disappoints![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] 10/10 recommend the Howard's burger. read more

Very delicious Rib eye dinner for $29.00, There special tonight was actually a prime rib dinner for $32.00 but this caught my attention more. Done to perfection, not much fat SUPER flavorful! The asparagus was crunchy and delicious too and the loaded baked potato was filled with cheese goodness and bacon. They brought horsey sauce and au jus out too with the steak which was a nice touch even though we didn't order the prime rib. Heard the new owner was a Michelin star chef before he bought this place. Made a good choice eating here, general bar looking place. read more

Howard's - Rib eye steak - Bars Near Me - Stillwater, Minnesota

Best bar in Stillwater to grab food at. Been here three times and everything I've gotten was incredible. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Great atmosphere, never too loud but lively.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Bartender was friendly and makes great drinks. Could not recommend more. read more

[[HIGHLIGHT]]I love the food and ambience at this local restaurant[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]], however, [[HIGHLIGHT]]stop using colorful markers to write the specials. We can't read them.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

Howard's - Bars Near Me - Stillwater, Minnesota

This record for Howard's bar has inherited all the reviews and photos from its predecessor, Whitey's, so keep that in mind when considering-- few of these reviews and none of the photos are from the current ownership. Unfortunately I failed to take new photos (d'oh!!) to help refresh the page, but the new owners of Howard's have brought some serious chops (the chef has worked at a Michelin star restaurant) to revitalize the menu and overall food quality while still maintaining many of the beloved features of Whitey's. We tried the curds to start and they were fabulous! Excellent batter and they were served piping hot and melty. They come with a dill pickle ranch that even my pickle-hating husband enjoyed. For entrees we had the lasagna and the walleye poboy. The poboy was crispy and came with tasty sauce/toppings. The one disappointment was the lasagna-- it could have been served hotter and meltier, and was a bit heavy on the ricotta. Despite that, we felt this place was closer to 5 stars than 4 and want to come back to sample more of the menu. This is a dive bar atmosphere but it was pretty clean, and service was fast and pleasant. I will definitely come back to Howard's the next time I'm in Stillwater! read more

What a fantastic experience! Food and drinks were so good. Wings were perfect. Loved to hear the stories from the owners about how they started. read more

We were excited to check out Howard's since Whiteys closed. We went to celebrate my mom in laws bday...laid back style. The restaurant at this time was quite busy and happened to be during one of the twins playoff games. I'm gluten free and didn't see many gfree options. I opted for the rib eye with asparagus and a baked potato. It was just alright but wish the food wasn't all squished on a sort of medium sized plate. Everyone else enjoyed their meal...I'd stop in again for a drink and check out the bar area. read more

The service was good. The food was good. I had the hamburger. I wouldn't hesitate to go there again. The prices are really fair, and unlike other Stillwater restaurants, they include fries - meaning, you don't have to pay extra for fries. [[HIGHLIGHT]]I didn't give it a 5 star because they let people bring their dogs in, who sat by us and wouldn't really leave us alone.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] And because the food was solid good but not dang-that-was-good. We will be back. read more

Great music, cold drinks and a fun atmosphere. Definitely a place to stop in and be. Appreciate the local feel and conversation. The service was on point. We were greeted, waters brought to the table and car bombs promptly delivered. Also took our pictures and gave us a bag for our to go. Wish we found this earlier in the day so we could have stayed longer. read more

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We drive from St. Paul consistently for this gem. The staff is lovely and the food is amazing; you can't miss the trout dip, the lasagna, the crab BLT, or the prime rib if it's on the menu. And though cheese curds are something you'll find on many menus in the area, Howard's are hands-down the best. read more

Howard's - Exterior - Bars Near Me - Stillwater, Minnesota

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Ambiance of A Dive Bar with Class - Best Food - Chef is well known for his ability - Top Shelf Spirits & Beer - cold and fast - Staff Rocks - owner is an international rock star - Patrons - keep stories coming with a smile - Location - You will see when ya go What else does one need .... - Oh yeah... pull tabs. See ya there read more

[[HIGHLIGHT]]In the heart of downtown Stillwater you will find an amazing catch in this rustic pub.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] -The Trout dip- read more

Howard's - Trout Dip - Bars Near Me - Stillwater, Minnesota

This is a great classic dive-bar in downtown Stillwater. It used to be called Whitey's. Since the change in owner, the menu has been updated. The look and feel though of the space remains. The brunch menu is very typical, but done well. I tried the Denver Omelette with smoked ham. The ham and veggies were cut consistently and cooked well. I liked how the peppers still had some crunch. The eggs were cage-free. The home fries were fried very well, and had a nice seasoning. We live in Stillwater and this spot will be on our brunch rotation. read more

This place is the perfect small town bar. We went for an early dinner and the place was pretty quiet. The mellow mood was great. Our waitress was lovely and got us what we asked for quickly. And the food was fantastic!!! The burgers are great and the tater tots are to die for. I would avoid the fries because they were very oily and had a bad aftertaste. But make sure to get the cheese curds for an appetizer because the dill pickle ranch was amazing! Overall I highly recommend this adorable bar and make sure to check out the bathrooms (they rule). read more

Really nice servers and great food -- we will come back here the next time we are in the area!

Consistency at its best-the food is delicious! The bartenders are fantastic as well, always friendly and up for a good laugh.

Great cheeseburger (the single is huge; can't imagine eating a double!); the homemade fries are incredible. Great service and cool vibe!

[[HIGHLIGHT]]great atmosphere & service.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]the building is beautiful with a lot of amazing architectural details![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

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Stopped in for lunch last weekend with a friend. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The atmosphere is typical cafe type place.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] I am giving stars for the food! I had a standard american breakfast plate, scrambled eggs, sausage patties, hash browns, and toast. I would say that the quantity of food was smaller portions than say Perkins but the food was very good., most especially I would comment on the scrambled eggs. They had a great buttery flavor and the doneness was perfect, not underdone and not overdone and dry, JUST RIGHT! I've never enjoyed scrambled eggs enough to sit down and write a review about them but kudoos to the cook last Sunday! read more

As a Stillwater resident and industry worker I'm very present in the downtown scene. There are very few places I choose to call home and Howard's is one. The food is ridiculously good and consistent. The ownership is fantastic and from tip to tail the staff is the best in town. Summer people/ Some aren't. If you're visiting Stillwater and want to go where the locals go... This is it. read more

Delicious food, great service, great atmosphere! My friend and I split the burger and house salad. This is my favorite house salad now and the burger was very very tasty! Can't wait to go back for breakfast and to get that burger again! read more

Prime rib was a hit! Asparagus was crisp, potato had cheese, bacon and sour cream on it. The beef was tender and cooked medium rare (skewing more to the rare side). My friend asked for medium (hard to do) and he got a more medium rare piece so I suggest you really emphasize the medium part if you like it that way. (A crime in my book though!) it was busy but we got our food fairly quickly . We were even there for HH prices so even better! My daughter had the chicken wild rice soup and ate the whole bowl. Server was friendly. For $26 a plate it was really reasonable and delicious! Id go again. read more

Howard's - Prime rib special - Bars Near Me - Stillwater, Minnesota

Now skimpy sandwiches and smaller portions. Something has changed. Same great service. read more

Fun, comfortable joint in an adorable little midwestern town! Laid back, "dive bar" atmosphere, but great food and very friendly service! My 8 yo Mac n cheese aficionado was very impressed with the homemade Mac n cheese and my husband said it was the best burger he's ever had! Will definitely be back soon! read more

Unfortunately, our lunch was Very Disappointing. Overcooked food Greasy French fries read more

had the Howard's Burger and fresh cut fries for lunch, fantastic! Friendly staff and great service.

Breakfast portions are tiny and way overpriced. The bacon was soggy and the sausage was terrible. Not a good thing to say about this breakfast. read more

I eat at Howard's about twice a month and always enjoy it. The food is predictably high quality, tasty, fresh, sustainably sourced, and portions are ample. It shows that Chef Adam spent time cooking at a Michelin-starred restaurant in Los Angeles, even though the Howard's menu is pure Midwestern comfort food. The house salad has marinated cherry tomatoes! The smoked trout dip with toast points is decadent! Everything about the Cajun Club sandwich is mouth-watering! The vibe at Howard's is friendly and approachable - you will feel at home. read more

This is a favorite brunch spot for me, but I'm also obsessed with the trout dip the cobb salad and the nachos. And it's so cute inside!