So I first heard about Howard's Gumbo shop from reading reviews from a Yelp Elite event I was not a part of and it sounded pretty awesome I also started seeing a few food influencers went there and started talking about these "$5 Holla" bowls which are basically small bowls of gumbo-so I decided I had to find out once and for all what all the hype was all about. Funny thing when I looked up the address to this place,it's super close to my work and couldn't figure out how I missed them-When I finally pulled up I realized they were a pop up green tent covering a food truck type of restaurant.Thats how I missed em,when u look for them,look for the green tent and your golden. Parking is extremely limited as there are only 3 spots located on the property.i was not lucky enough to grab a spot so I had to park a few blocks away in let's just say not the safest part of town,I was generally nervous about my car the entire time I waited for my food. This place is not a sit down spot at all,much more of a takeout spot-there is a table or 2 but they aren't really there for dining,kinda just there as aesthetics. I ended up getting 2 "$5 Holla" bowls and an order of fried fish and fries-I apologize for not knowing if it was catfish or red snapper-I was a bit out of sorts when I was there because I was thinking of my car,so forgot to ask what type of fish it was. Ordering food here is similar to a food truck experience-walk inside the tent and walk up to the truck-place your order and wait for it to be called-exactly a food truck experience. Let's talk about the food. Fried Fish and Fries-Whichever fish it was between catfish or red snapper-it was amazing-it was deep fried crusted in cornmeal and was so tasty-the fish was flaky yet perfectly balanced with the cornmeal crust-I enjoyed it thoroughly.Fries were meh-pretty plain,not good not bad,just average. $5 Holla Bowl-This was a small bowl of their famous Howard's Gumbo.To say I think back on this meal multiple times a week when I'm working is a huge understatement.It was pure goodness and taste-the shrimp,the sausage,the rice and that broth-bang for bang this might be the best value of taste vs cost in the Sacramento-area-a true treasure of a food item. Howard's Gumbo shop is a really great food destination.They have high quality food and very inexpensive prices-the area isn't the best but the food quality for sure makes it worth the trouble,even if you can't find a parking spot. read more

See all

I had high hopes after reading the positive reviews, but unfortunately, my experience was disappointing. The gumbo lacked the rich flavor I expected and tasted somewhat watered down, the catfish was overcooked and dry, and the fried okra seemed overly greasy rather than crisp and fresh. Overall, the food did not feel consistent with the reputation this place seems to have. Service was also a major issue. It was very slow, and I felt largely ignored for most of my visit. It was difficult to get anyone's attention, and the overall interaction felt unwelcoming. I normally try to give places the benefit of the doubt, but in this case, the experience left me feeling uncomfortable, and at times, I felt the treatment came across as a bit discriminatory. Considering the price and the reviews, I expected a much better experience. I hope improvements are made, but based on this visit, I would not return. read more

Been hearing about Howard Gumbo via Instagram for a couple of months.. I was on my way home and in the area and decided to stop and give it a try. I order 2pc catfish & 2pc red snapper meal w/fries, two extra sides for $10 red beans and rice and Mac & cheese, one banana pudding and peach cobbler, Highly disappointed Pro: 1. peach cobbler was the only good item 2. Crinkle French fries were soggy when I got home put in air fryer to reheat for crisp. Cons: 1. both fish was over cooked and hard. 2. Red beans were mediocre and rice was crunchy looks like bean sitting all day. 3. Mac and cheese looked old and sitting all day. I try to support all businesses but will not return to this one. read more

See all

So I tried this place cause I was craving Gumbo and it was a definitely a disappointment! I ordered two large Gumbos , I forget the name but it had sausages and shrimp with a two large size's of rice. They were out of Mac and cheese !! It was ok but very water down flavor was like soup out of a can etc. so my experience was ok taste ,maybe ok read more

See all

I am not sure about some of the previous negative reviews but my food was good and they gave us extra food without charging. The catfish was so tender and flavorful. I ordered the $12 gumbo and I thought it was very good. I do think the base could have been a little thicker but still really good. The reason I can't give a 5 star because they are a little slow when taking orders. Also this food truck is a house located on a main street just as a heads up. The ambiance is nothing special it's a food truck. I would definitely be back. Also their fries were yummy and tasted homemade! read more

See all

Always love a good gumbo with a dark roux. And howard's definitely has it. I like my gumbo thick, this isn't thick but it does the job. Andoille sausage has a light kick, shrimp was delicious. I honestly did not care for the crab. I love crab, but I prefer to just eat the foot, not have to work for the crab meat. and I don't think the 3 tiny crab clusters (probably equal to 1 snow crab cluster) make's it worth paying an extra $10. I would have liked more veggies. There was close to no veggies. I am thankful they put the rice on the side. Also. parking is extremely cramped. I walked from the autoshop. All in all. Gumbo is delicious, but it needs more veggies. Worth a shot? yes. read more

See all

Howard's Gumbo serves up some of the most legit authentic Cajun food that I've experienced outside LA. The catfish is scrumptious as it's shaken in a cornmeal seasoned batter then fried to perfection. And the red beans and rice are on point. Howard's gumbo is made fresh and slow cooked from the moment they open up every day. I've returned to Howard's gumbo at least 2 more times as this little local's only hotspot is the perfect place for me to drive over to order grab and go after a long work week. As a final note, I would like to say thank you very much to Miss Rachel sacto's most noteworthy CM for setting up the YEE drive-through event which introduced Howard's Gumbo into my culinary world. read more

See all

Came on a Saturday around 5 and there was no wait. I walked up, ordered and left within 15 minutes. Parking would have been a disaster if it was busy as they only have a small parking lot. When I ordered the lady was very nice. I ordered the famous $5 gumbo of course (2 orders). It was a decent size and it came with a couple shrimp and plenty sausages. The flavor was on point!!! The shrimp was over cooked, but it didn't even maker cause the flavor was exactly what I wanted!!! Especially for $5!!! I only regret not getting the corn bread... I forgot and I love cornbread! Definitely will be back when I'm in the area! read more

See all

Stopped by with my dad to try some authentic southern cooking. We were pleasantly surprised by all the deep flavors achieved in each dish. The cook knows what she's doing here. Ordered the 2 piece catfish with fries, gumbo, mac and cheese, cornbread and a peach cobbler. The $5 gumbo comes with shrimp, sausage and rice. It's a great deal. It is what Howard Gumbo is known for and does not disappoint. A little spicy but delicious. Mac and cheese was bomb! Creamy, gooey and super cheesy flavor. I loved it! My dad ordered the peach cobbler and although the portion was smaller than expected he said it was a delicious cobbler. The lady working here was super sweet and thankful for our business. I told her we'd be back. Brought some back for my mom and she loved every bite. She's already planning on sending me back for more gumbo :) read more

See all

Pro tip when your navigation says you are close look for the small neon "OPEN" sign on the fence. We tried the gumbo/catfish combo, 4pc snapper, mac n cheese and peach cobbler. The Gumbo is what Howard's is all about with a rich savory flavor. The catfish was good but the snapper was dry. Mac n cheese and peach cobbler are tasty but small in size for $5 each. Good spot for gumbo and open late night as well. read more

See all

A great little hidden gem in northeast Sacramento. It's a converted food truck on the side of a busy thoroughfare. The one woman working was very patient as we navigated the menu. There is a green tent popup attached to the food truck. A couple of cocktail tables litter the inside of the tent if you need a surface to organize (for your Yelp photos or) your food. Offerings: - Fried Catfish: perfectly fried, great flavorful batter, not oily at all - Fried Snapper: same as above, if slightly drier of a fish - Mac and Cheese: a very small portion for $5 and didn't have the depth of flavor I was expecting. Macaroni noodles and paprika sprinkled on top. - Gumbo: 10/10 delicious. No notes. But I'm still going to wax on about it. Someone really knows how to make gumbo here. The broth is complex and flavorful. We ordered two and one of ours had several pieces of real crab! The sausage is a bit on the spicier side but the dish overall has a mild/medium heat. The are also generous portions of shrimp. - Peach Cobbler: Yum! The perfect end to the meal. The peaches may be canned but I still loved it. - Fries: Very basic. Could use more salt in my opinion. read more

Howard Gumbo - Catfish and fries - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Sacramento, California

So. . .let me start by saying their catfish is FIRE!! Ok so, I don't know if it's because I went at night but I had a bit of a hard time finding it. It's not a traditional restaurant so the signage wasn't lit up except for a small "open" neon sign. Also, parking is extremely limited so I initially parked at the gas station a little bit down the street and walked over. The signage for the menu on the chalk board wasn't clear and didn't provide all of what was offered and the menu that's on paper in the window was a bit hard to read. Other than that, the food was extremely good. I wasn't a fan of the Mac & cheese and the fries but that was it. The catfish and red beans are my favorite, the fried okra was bomb, the cornbread was good, the gumbo was flavorful and the peach and berry cobblers were hittin'!! I think that was it. I wanted to try their kool-aid but my meal came with a soda so I said I'll try it when I come back because I'm DEFINITELY going back for the fish and the beans. The customer service was great, both chefs took good care of us and were even open to feedback which I think is amazing!! If I could give any advice, it would be to make sure the menu is readable, maybe even provide a QR code so those of us that are semi-visually impaired can read it. Other than that, I was thoroughly satisfied!! Great job on the food and the hospitality. You have definitely gained a patron. I will be back I recommend others to check them out. read more

See all

Creole girl approved Best gumbo I've tried outside of my family! The roux was perfection, you can tell they know what they're doing here. Flavorfullll like the recipe been passed down 10 generations! lol The fried catfish was IMO perfect! Cornmeal batter was seasoned so well, a little salty but just how I like it. Crispppy on the outside and they still managed to keep the fish moist on the inside. Fries were def overshadowed by everything else, for me. But my hubby and son enjoyed them. Gumbo for $5 is worth the trek!! We live about 25 mins away so definelty ate it right away in the car. Even got another cup of gumbo to take home for later Located at 2120 Marconi Ave - it's really easy to miss! Recommend looking it up on maps before getting there. It's a Food truck w/ green canopy and few standing-only tables. Would love to see this family-owned business open a brick & mortar soon! They are the real deal read more

See all

Found this place courtesy of Too Good to Go. It's not that easy to find as it is a food truck in the front of a house on busy Marconi. Parking can be challenging as well if there are more than two cars. My order consisted of a bowl of gumbo, a piece of fried catfish and some fries. Was really pleasantly surprised by the flavoring of the gumbo. Had just the right amount of kick to it with shrimp and sausage throughout. Would totally come back for that! The catfish was flaky and flavorful. You do have to wait a bit to get your food however because this is just a one-man show. I hope Howard does well, it's nice to have options out in this area! read more

Howard Gumbo - Menu - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Sacramento, California

See all

This food l truck in the neighborhood is a hidden gem! so delicious and they offer family recipe gumbo and fried catfish with fries and much more. Chef was kind, attentive, and patient. I look forward to my next visit with my friends and family! Thank you Howard Gumbo! read more

Howard Gumbo - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Sacramento, California

Would have gave this place zero stars if given the option . I ordered a $25 gumbo & was highly disappointed. First off the restaurant had my Uber Eats driver waiting over 30 mins for my food , so it came to me 30 mins later than the time it was supposed to . Just for them to give me a bowl full of gumbo roux , 2 measly crab legs , 2 shrimp , 1 shrimp tail , a handful of sausage and ABSOLUTELY NO CHICKEN . Everything in the description was MISSING . I will never spend my money here or support this lazy STINGY business ever again . I used to sell gumbo bowls & never would I ever had sent this disgraceful mess to someone's house . read more

Howard Gumbo - Mostly sausage - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Sacramento, California

Tasty gumbo spot. It's different than what I've had before as this one is more like soup with rice in it. But it is spiced very well and has chicken, shrimp, and sausage so I enjoyed it a lot. Their Mac n cheese is pretty good as well, very cheesy. Fries were just okay. This place is a stationary food truck in a small lot. read more

I am so happy to have come across this restaurant on social media. I was apprehensive because of distance to my location, but it was so worth the drive. Some of the best fried catfish and okra I've ever had. The gumbo was so flavorful and delicious I ended up ordering more. The desserts were on point, just wish I had bananas in the pudding, but I know it doesn't last as long. The service was amazing and fun! Good customer service is so underrated these days, but they definitely make you feel welcomed and appreciated. I'll definitely be back! Go get some! read more

Sorry the pictures were after we devoured most of the food lol. We got there on a Thursday at 7pm, the only people there. Some things were out but that's ok because our meal and great customer service made up for it. We got the $5 gumbo and fried snapper. The gumbo was rich and the perfect amount of spice, the snapper was season well and flavor was top tier. It was cool to have conversations with the staff while we enjoyed our meal and they definitely made due with the space they had, they had a few seats for waiting and a few pub tables that we stood, we didn't care that we were standing because it was that good! Definitely returning. read more

This little hidden food truck was so yummy! I will say getting in and out of there parking lot may be a little hard, but so worth it! Their $5 gumbo is the perfect size for an individual and super tasty! read more

Decided to stop by on Saturday, shortly after they opened. I parked at a closed office building on Darwin to avoid having to pull in and out on Marconi. I tried the fish, fries, gumbo, greens and peach cobbler. The fish is seasoned well and flaky, greens are yummy and the gumbo is very good! Peach Cobbler could have more in the container because it is quite tasty...I will be back to try more! read more

See all

I went here with my family and we ordered our food to go. It's easy to miss when you are driving so I would suggest going a little slower as you approach the location. Service was friendly and though there is a wait for the food, I was impressed by the speed of service considering there is one person doing it all. I ordered a side of fries, Gia's gumbo with crab, and the strawberry lemonade kool aid. The fries were perfectly crispy and seasoned. The gumbo was delicious and the crab was flavorful. The strawberry lemonade kool aid is very sweet, I would recommend splitting it with a few people, but it was soooo good. This is a must try! read more

See all

Went to Howard's it's a tent in front of a white house and I must say they went beyond my expectations. I got grandma gumbo it's the large come with four crab claws ,hot links , shrimp , rice and they didn't disappoint also had red snapper with fries . The fish had a great seasoning it was fishy on one piece but look for the price , I'm happy and I will definitely be back, there was only one person working she was polite great customer service. And in side the tent there was chairs and tables were u can seat and enjoy.Hope to see u again soon read more

If you want to wait over an hour for your food eat here. We literally waited an hour and 15 mins. After waiting 45 mins we asked the guy packing the food how long it would be and we got straight ignored. They need a better system. The gumbo was ok. It wasn't bad nor great. Catfish was hella salty. We couldn't eat it. The red beans and rice were really good. It wasn't worth all that waiting and rudeness. People were waiting for a long time. The people working there had zero sense of urgency and couldn't care less. They are not very welcoming at all. If you're wondering why I didn't ask for a refund. I tried. There were four people in front of me while I was waiting in line and it took over 15 mins for one couple to get their order together. By the time it was almost my turn they called out my name. The crazy thing. It wasn't even that busy. read more

I came here with high hopes seeing that it was a small, local business with seemingly great reviews. However the conversation started with a "What do you want?" and I was cut off a couple times while trying to communicate and ask questions since it was my first time here, but also, I've never had Gumbo before. I ended getting a gumbo and the catfish with fries, but was disappointed for the very small portions for the catfish and fries (I included a photo). Also, Mind you, I saw the same person that was handling the money, throwing the fries in the fryer with their bare hands. Definitely not the most sanitary, but at least the oil kills the germs (?) Furthermore, moving on to how the food actually was, the fries were thick and mushy (I was never a fan of crinkle cut fries anyways though), and the gumbo almost tasted dirty like the rice wasn't washed, but maybe that's what it's supposed to taste like? I heard it was supposed to be Earthy tasting. It's just difficult to tell based off of the other things I saw. There were a lot of sausages in the gumbo which I did like, but the shrimps were powdery and not cleaned properly (there was a black line on the spine for all of them), the catfish was good, it had great seasoning, and the thickness of the fish was okay, it was a rather small piece though in my opinion. Overall, I was going into this was a positive mindset, but just came out of it extremely disappointed. Not just because of the service and the food, but I was pretty upset about the cost for what I got. Especially because the amount of food in other reviews look like enough to at least cover the bottom of the paper tray! read more

Howard Gumbo - Catfish with fries - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Sacramento, California

I was really looking forward to going to this place because I had heard about it. Unfortunately, I ordered the gumbo got home and it only had sausage and shrimp and it was not the five dollar one. Very disappointed will not be back. read more

Howard Gumbo - The ex of no crab - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Sacramento, California

See all

This was an absolute pleasure the Food was awesome this location is hands down one of the BEST soul food/ Cajun food places in Sacramento. And they give you enough food feed a small army... lol Everything was wonderful.. read more

Great gumbo especially on these cold rainy nights!!! I love Howard's gumbo! Had that macaroni and cheese finished it before I got on the freeway. I like the new look with the canopy. A lot more items on the menu and parking is crazy but it works! read more

BEST GUMBO! Found them on instagram, for their famous $5 gumbo! Why did we get 4?! Loved the macaroni, friend okra was out of control and the fish was hot and crunchy! Big ol grape Kool-aide was perfect. Wrapped up dinner with a bomb banana pie. The his place is must! We'll be back for that gumbo. Awesome service. read more

See all

$5 gumbo: didn't hate it. Mack n' cheese: nope Collard greens: nope Cat fish: pretty good Would I come back: nope read more

I went here due to all of the social media posts about this place. The food good overall but not as fantastic as o expected. The catfish was plentiful and ok. The beans and rice were overcooked and not seasoned well. I will give this place another try but in person. The food came fast though through delivery. read more

Wow. Don't let the setup fool you!! I haven't had a roux like this in years. It brought me back!! It was hot and so flavorful. The shrimp and the sausage were perfect. It came with catfish that had a cornmeal dusting which hit the spot!! To be honest I've been 2x since the original time haha. I'll be back again soon!! read more

After work I made the trek this dark evening to Howards Gumbo, a Family owned Food Truck. It was dark, and of course, I almost gave up as I passed it by twice. Then I saw the small open sign flashing and I carefully hit the uturn. So glad I did because I met the friendly and organized part owner, Larry. Thanks to #YelpSacramento, I was invited to enjoy a comp dinner of gumbo, catfish and soda during business hours. As I waited for my dinner, I spoke to a repeat customer and she spoke highly of how good the food was. My order was prepared in record time. Got in my car to begin my long journey home. My stomach immediately began to rumble due to the wonderful mixture of seafood smells. Finally made it home and began to chow down. OMG. Crispy catfish - not fishy tasting. Gumbo - tasty and full of spices and flavor. Washed it all down with soda. Yes it was worth the drive. Thank you @HowardLLC @YelpSacramento #YelpSacramento read more

See all

Very good gumbo, great roux, full of shrimp and crab claws and the fried catfish is no slouch either. The good thing about the truck is that it is fixed so you know they're always there. If you're not looking for a fancy building and just want good stick to your ribs food, this is your place. read more

Okay so this is my first time here and my first experience of it all , this is just for me and my personal experience. So me and my husband went to this food truck around 8pm we have been wanting to try for a couple of weeks now, location wise if your driving fast definitely will miss it if cars are parked by the entrance but not too many people maybe 3 people ahead of us well we get there and 2 people are working the truck one male one female we wait about 5 minute before our order gotten taken once we are ordering not too sure if the girl taking our order couldn't hear because they had the music on or if she couldn't hear in general because she kept getting our order wrong my husband repeated the order like 3 times before I got into it and made sure she heard what I said , I got the Kathy's combo which comes with 5$ holla gumbo and 2 piece catfish and fries which was 19$ we also got an order of small red beans and rice and for dessert we got a small banana pudding with a side of grape kool aid which we didn't even know the price for sides it wasn't displayed our food was roughly around 62$ 10 minutes later they say they ran out of red beans and rice as well as the banana pudding would we like something else so we said sure why not we ended up saying the peach cobbler and mac and cheese but Mac n cheese was not in the bag but red beans and rice was. Now we've ordered we're waiting maybe 20 minutes for those 20 minutes someone from the back who worked there had an apron on and asked how long we have been waiting for and hope it wasn't too long we proceed to tell him we've been waiting to try it and that we've come 20 minutes away he proceeds to say that they will be opening a second location somewhere in South Sacramento and we converse a bit before they call our number once I go up to receive the food I ask for a receipt which we paid card the girl sends me a text from the square up machine I receive it I go over it and it only had 2 items on the receipt so now we go back up and ask her about the receipt just to go over prices and make sure calculations were correct it ends up being someone else receipt so the young man is now helping us he's going over receipt I show them the receipt again he is trying to help but couldn't figure out so now he is calling his boss I hear the young man proceed to tell the young lady he will take the wrap for making the mistake just say that he did it or whatever the case is at this point I didn't care my husband was trying to figure out the receipt , so now the owner or manager comes and he's trying to resolve the situation he's trying to figure out how I received someone else receipt and the staff couldn't even figure it out or anything for a good 10 minutes now so come to find out they charged us a Kathy combo 19$ and Napoleons 2 pc catfish which is 16$ as well as an extra koolaid and desert the man then comes proceeds to say we get a refund of 10$ how did we get a refund of 10$ if the napoleon is 16$ already and we didn't order the napoleon wouldnt our refund be 16$ not 10$ but now my husband is back and forth with him for a couple minutes and he walks off because at this point my husband is in rage with everything and I proceed to take the refund from him he ends up giving 20$ refund cash, so we pretty much paid only 40 something dollars for the 4 items we received ! my husband is definitely a person who understands situations but a mess up after mess up is just a no for us at this point we go home open up the bag of food and the fish batter is just falling straight off the fish , un coating the fish at this point super greasy it was thrown in there it was just a mess when we opened the bag that might've been our fault for not opening it while we were there but after everything we were just over it red beans and rice sucked up all the juice it was good but my husband had a piece of bone it and that ticked him off even more the gumbo was good for the price and the peach cobbler was okay as well the koolaid was good it wasn't too sweet it was just right. This is just our personal experience unfortunate it was a bad experience because we definitely been looking forward to try it and I wanted to make a better review on this place but i can only give what I can. read more

Howard Gumbo - Piece of bone - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Sacramento, California

I was really looking forward to try their gumbo since seeing it on social media and man it did not disappoint! The gumbo was delic and i dont know how they can be selling it for only 5 dollars!! What a steal! I also tried their catfish which was also AMAZING!! She also mentiones their banana cream pie was good so of course i had to get one and tried it when i got home. Soo good! I will most def be back! read more

Food is delicious but the prices are so high, I understand food prices are going up for businesses also which is sad because I wont be able to eat out as much! read more

Howard Gumbo - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Sacramento, California

Hands down some of the best gumbo I've had in a long time. You can tell it simmered the right way. The roux was on point, the meat was tender, and every bite was comforting and satisfying. Portions were generous and served hot, just the way gumbo should be. If you're craving authentic, soulful gumbo that tastes like it was made with care, this place absolutely delivers. Check it out read more

Absolutely the best gumbo I've ever had, hands down. Rich, flavorful, and cooked with so much love you can taste it in every bite. The portions are generous, the desserts are top-tier, and the service is great! I swear by this gumbo and I'm stopping by every chance I get. If you haven't tried it yet, you're missing out!!! read more

I promise, once you come here there will always be this little voice in your head telling you to go back. I can taste the flavor without feeling gross after like other places ive tried, this is truly delicious food. The staff have been so kind and it really makes it somewhere you wanna give your business too. I personally will be going back over and over. Great job yall! read more