Howard’s

Located in Alakea Plaza (on Alakea and Hotel, next to AC Hotel), Howard's has delicious lunch specials! It used to be a small convenience store, but they took over that space. My favorites? Seafood Gumbo (normally Wednesdays) and Taco Salad (normally Fridays)!Be sure to call ahead to see if they have! You can call after they open at 8am and then pickup your food between 11am- 1pm.They also have some snacks as well as a fridge of grab-and-go sandwiches and salads. Cheers to Howard's!

I keep forgetting to do a review on this but I just had it today so I finally! Remembered! Howard's is a small, literal hole in the wall spot in downtown, only open on weekdays I'm pretty sure. Such home-y offerings, one of my absolute must haves is the lobster bisque and grilled cheese. It hits every. Single. Time! And the prices are entirely reasonable in my opinion, which also keeps me coming back in an ever-expensive world. I also like to come here for salads and I've tried the occasional dessert that's out. I need to try more of the actual meals--I've also had the gumbo which was delicious but spicy in the best way! Other than that I've tried a few items here and there because I rarely buy lunch. If I do though, I'm always checking the Howard's menu. :)

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.

Can't say enough good things...menu is small and simple, but always delish. Good prices especially for downtown. Only a few other places you can still get quality and quantity for $15-ish. Haven't been early for breakfasty things...but maybe should try go see one day. Easy nuff pre-order. No clue where to park or those logistics since I just walk from work a few blocks over. Sometimes got line, sometimes no more. And the best part...Traci and Troy are super awesome. Always happy and friendly. Support local small business!

Lunch in town can be expensive so it's no wonder that this place has a large following. Prices are reasonable given that the portions are generous. Perfect for the working person. I haven't had breakfast thee but was told that they do a really good business. Menus are available on Instagram And if you hear there is a special, go for it. A few weeks ago there was a $10 special that included baby bok choy, boneless short ribs and rice. The meat was tender and tasty. A real winner. This week I had the shoyu pork with rice, potato spaghetti noodle salad and corn. I really appreciate places that put a few potatoes to their salad and even better if they use spaghetti noodles instead of macaroni. The only criticism I had was that the pork was a little too sweet for me (or maybe not enough rice to counter balance it-but that would be too much carbs). But I can't deny that it was tasty.

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.

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.

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.

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!

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.