Came here wit my wife today to see if Howe's Bayou was really a taste of New Orleans in Michigan or not. My wife and her family is from New Orleans and that's where she grew up at so having her wit me and me going to visit New Orleans many times and trying the food there we can actually make a good judgement on food at Howe's. We order the crawfish crab cakes for a appetizer which came out fresh and hot the amount of crawfish in the cakes was ok not a lot or a little. Surprisingly it wasn't full of bread like most crab cakes and It didn't have a real strong Cajun taste but it was decent now would I order it again maybe not but for people that never tried it I would go ahead and give it a try. For my main dish I had the jambalaya and my wife had the crawfish étouffée wit a side order of red bean and rice and it also came wit cornbread and homemade chips. The jambalaya has andouille sausage and chicken in it and it was amazing. I was surprised by this dish the Cajun taste was there but not to over seasoned. Rice was cook right sausage was spicy but not to crazy and the chicken was pull chicken and not just chicken breast. Now that was amazing because I was just expecting chicken breast and I got all parts of the chicken dark meat and white meat that made the whole dish. Now my wife crawfish étouffée was just ok. It's not bad or not really good. The Cajun taste wasn't really there and the crawfish was dry. Now the cornbread that came wit the meal was amazing. Man when I say amazing it have to be in my top 5 in cornbreads. They give a nice portion of it and its moist and fluffy and still had a good texture to it. Not overly sweet like most cornbread but just the right amount. The red bean and rice was ok no Cajun taste in that just taste like beans over rice and nothing more .The homemade chips was also good. I would recommend this place to my friends and I'm definitely coming back to try other items on the menu read more

See all

Wow. We walked into this place because we were starving and it didn't have a wait. It had a cute rustic vibe but we were honestly not expecting much. I ordered the shrimp pasta and it was super delicious. My friends ordered the Crawfish etoufee and the perch and they loved their dishes as well. The corn bread wasn't very good, but it's carbs so I still ate it. The prices weren't crazy, very reasonable in fact. I will definitely be returning here. Totally worth it. read more

I got carry-out here and it was just OK. Maybe it's different if you eat in. The gumbo was decent but the shrimp pasta had like 3 shrimp in it and was a weird tomato sauce. Cornbread was dry. I'd give it another try but probably not for carry-out. read more

A bit of Cajun style NOLA right in your backyard. If you're in downtown Ferndale, this place is a must try at least once.

We stopped in on a fluke and 1 hour wait at another establishment after wanting to try it out after a long time anyway. We were seated right away and the atmosphere was laid back, much to my relief. They seem to have regulars and the place was mostly couples. Our server Joseph was polite and a pleasure to have amongst. We both really liked our food- though I would've liked my crawfish cakes cooled a little harder and drier, the red beans was delicious as well and we split a pint. We will return one day. read more

Cajun is my absolute favorite cuisine on the face of the planet, so I was excited to see a restaurant in Michigan specializing in New Orleans cooking. I've been to Howe's three times, and have yet to be disappointed. I've made it a point to try something new on each visit. The gumbo is good, as are the chorizo-encrusted oysters. The red beans and rice entree is quite tasty, and the gator sausage is delicious. While it's not on the level of what you would find at a place like Mother's or Willie Mae's in New Orleans, they still put out a high-quality meal. It's a delicious taste of New Orleans right in the Detroit metro area. read more

Loved this place! I was worried that the entrée would be way too much food, and I was right! I got a side of ALLIGATOR SAUSAGE- YUM, and dirty rice. Together it made the perfect sized meal. They also bring free cornbread! Talk about yummy. The staff is also really nice. Friends got jambalaya and I had some-- really delicious. We also tried the super cheesy mac and cheese, amazinggg read more

I took my wife there today. It was her birthday. She had previously tried their Rib-eye steak with Garlic mashed potatoes and steamed veggies. We both ordered it today, but I had one with a special sauce and spinach. Wow! Delicious, and I am not usually a steak eater. This one was sumptuous! We also had Key lime pie and coffee by Rafael and drinks mixed by Patti. The steaks were cooked to perfection and Patti's mixed drinks ( mojito's and Whiskey sours) were superb! I have eaten in many restaurants all over the united states and I am so happy that Howe's is right here in the metro Detroit area. Thank you to the entire staff for making my wife's birthday celebration all that we could have hoped for. I love the ambiance because it is almost like being at home, but better. No cleanup.LOL I love the warmth and the camaraderie of the patrons. read more

This restaurant is for gluttons. If you actually believe in eat, drink, and be merry, I don't know how you haven't stumbled across this perfect neighborhood haunt. Not for people who worry about cholesterol or binge drinking. 1. GREAT service. This is the #1 reason why my bf and I always end up here on those Friday nights where we're so tired from the week before, it's all we can do to unfold the napkin. It's packed on the weekends, but the servers work their asses off. Plus they're funny, light-hearted, and they all know everything about every dish and drink on the meu. 2. I once got drunk off one cocktail at Howe's ... and mama likes her whiskey. Howe's is one of those restaurants that still believe in a glass of the strong stuff. The Swamp Water bourbon and lemonade is for non-drivers only. If you're going out afterward, this is an excellent place to get a buzz on at a reasonable price. Try the oyster martini. BF couldn't look at me while I ate it, but it was awesome. I don't think I could drink two, though. 3. Fresh seafood, cooked quick and rushed out to your table. I've never had a bad dish on the appetizer menu, but volcano shrimp, house-smoked fish platter, and particularly the popcorn crawdads are outstanding finger food. They go well with that new regional beer your waitress will recommend over the indie standard Bell's. She's right every time. 4. Po'boys for evenings out with friends or watching the game, jambalaya on a cold night, bone-in ribeyes, sweet potato fries and corn maque choux, thick, nasty crawfish etouffee. And homemade cornbread. The only dish I wouldn't recommend is the gumbo. It doesn't taste too different from the Campbell's Soup version. Otherwise, I am going out on a limb to say that if you don't feel like spending a night with Jimi on the jukebox tastin' some blazin' backyard BBQ and Creole classics...I don't really want to know you in real life. I'd give this place 4.5 stars if I could...for jeans, jams, and jambalaya that's full of heart and soul. read more

A unique menu in a land of unique menus, Howe's Bayou has all your Lousiana favorites like creole, gumbo, po' boys and spicy sausage. I opted for one of the strangest things I've ever ordered - an alligator sausage po' boy topped with cole slaw and Habanero mustard. (I don't know if I typed that one right because autocorrect wants to change it to handbarrow and that can't be right. Anyway I digress). The meat was amazing (that's what she said) and the mustard and other sauces were impressive. The place has a full bar and lots of beer on tap. Not a great place to watch a game. Killer key lime pie though. Also, I feel fat after going there. A good thing I guess. read more

A group of 30-something men from Pleasant Ridge get together for beers, cigars, and talking about the indignities of driving minivans from time to time. Howe's is a favorite spot for this group because it affords good food, abundant booze and, really when you get right down to it, this bunch is too soft and suburban-lawyerly to go to a grimey dive bar when they want to get their drink on. Howe's after dark is a fun place with interesting decor (I like the dark woods and trimmed windows, gingham table cloths and friendly service) really good food, and not-too outrageous drink prices. While I used to frequent the place more some years ago when I lived close enough to walk here, it remains a favorite for when I'm looking for "different" food, rather than the same ol' Thursday night fare. Ferndale affords plenty of great places to find a meal, and Howe's should be on your list of restaurants to try. read more

Walking into this place felt like I was walking into a row house in downtown Baltimore. It is cozy, dark, layout is long, narrow, with brick walls and beautiful antique ceiling tile. We had to wait 25 min to sit. But the wait staff was very prompt at telling us how many minutes we had left and sat us down quickly. Everything on the menu looked great. So many flavors to choose from. I ran into an 'ol co-worker of mine there and he recommended the Voodoo BBQ shrimp. I ordered the 'small plate' (it was plenty). In spite of my curiosity, I substituted reg rice for dirty rice. It had a chicken broth base with crumbled sausage, celery, and red bell pepper (i think it was) . Wow, was that good! and not the least bit greasy. The BBQ shrimp was excellent and sauce had just the right amount of kick. My bf got sausage with beans and rice. The sausage was grilled with a basket weave cut, which made the outside crispy. yumm. 12.19.07 Came here for dinner before I took off for Florida. I ordered the short ribs (Wednesday special). The waiter highly recommended it, and explained that it is only served on Wed/Thurs. cause it had to be braised and takes all day to cook. Wow... the meat easily pulled apart with a fork. A knife was not needed. Very tender. The Creole sauce on top had a little spice kick to it; balancing the meat and the garlic mashed potatoes. The green beans on the side were sauted with fresh spices. A little buttery, but had great flavor. This meal was enough for lunch the next day. Yum! We will definitely come here again soon! read more

Ok, I really struggled with 3 or 4 stars here...but have decided that Howe's is a solid 3 stars...read on... The atmosphere is nice, dark wood & punched tin ceiling tiles. Very old school pub feeling. The waitress was nice but a bit scattered. We ordered fried oysters to start. They were ok, not mind blowing but pretty good. The breading on the Oysters was a bit over fried and made it difficult to taste anything but breading. It was sort of overpowering. For my entree, I ordered the Shrimp Etouffee. It's a sort of thicker-than-gumbo-stew made with onions, jalapeno peppers and topped over white rice. The dish was spicy and hearty but lacked something in flavor. I ended up adding some of the Howe's custom Habenero Chipotle sauce. Although, bonus points there, for having their own sauces. I got to chose a side along with my entree, so I went with the Mac n' Cheese. That's where I really felt like the place hit a big miss with me. The mac n' cheese was a bit sad &dried up, oily at the bottom of the ramekin and needed salt. Big minus there. It obviously wasn't fresh. Another big minus was the cornbread was bland and dry. I mean, this is a "cajun place" so just like with a true BBQ place, I expect big things when it comes to the execution of cornbread. I normally can devour cornbread (see my review of Toasted Oak Grill), but this was the equivalent of chomping on a wad of cotton, it was so dry. I did really enjoy their house Hard Lemonade made with bourbon. Tasty, but be warned, they pour that puppy strong! Another disappointment, they had no mint. I had my hopes up for a Mint Julep. Yeah...I think my expectations for this place were a bit too high...I just need to go to New Orleans already... read more

I love Howe's. I almost always order a Caesar salad and a bowl of lobster bisque. The salad is always fresh tasting and the dressing is not the gross thick salty kind that usually makes me avoid Caesar's. The bisque has great flavor and chunks of meat. Very rich. My husband and dad usually order burgers. My husband likes them more than rosie's, less than mae's. The sides I've had here were also good. Good prices and I happen to like the atmosphere. It feels authentic if you know what i mean. I might go here tonight for my bday dinner! read more

I'm pretty pleased with this place! Ben and I stopped in for lunch after an exploratory ramble of the Woodward corridor post-Dream Cruise. We visited John King Books (more on this later) before getting too hungry to walk on back home. How lucky we came across Howe's! This is perhaps a little silly for someone not from New Orleans, but I think Po'Boys are a perfect comfort food, pretty standard in flavors and construction, and so I turn to them in times of displacement, this time caused by our recent move. We were seated outside, at our request, by a very pleasant server, and had just the right amount of attention--timely water, order taking, order receiving, and bill drop off--not too present, far from being ignored. We ordered two Po'Boys, one shrimp for Ben, served with a traditional cocktail sauce, and the oyster version of same for me. The sauce accompanying mine was a honey mustard type thing, which I enjoyed, though it's not my usual go-to sauce. Both sandwiches were ample for the price, though not extravagant, and the homemade chips were delicious! In short, our experience was good, and the food was what we were expecting--fried, flavorful, filling--which can be a really underrated quality, I think. I'm looking forward to coming back for more cold weather fare, and we're very glad to have Howe's in our new neighborhood. read more

I Liked this place. I ordered the Voodoo Shrimp on a hot green salad, as recommended by the server. You get one side with the dinner plates. I chose the Mac n Cheese. The order is about 12 shrimp with a ton of vegetables, including; green beans, carrots, zucchini and a green salad mix. You wouldn't think that green salad would go with a hot sauce but it does! Its a huge plate of food, and then the side of Mac n Cheese came on a side plate along with a large piece of corn bread; both were really good. Everything is reasonably priced including the beer. Lastly I ordered the bread pudding dessert which was also recommended by the server... IT WAS TO DIE FOR! I am not that big of a bread pudding fanatic, but this one was EXQUISITE! It was the perfect end to a very spicy and delicious meal. I would definitely recommend this place to friends and family. I would like maybe a little better lighting but its a small place and I think its probably intended as part of its "charm". read more

Howe's Bayou - Voodoo shrimp with hit green salad and a side if Mac and cheese. - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Ferndale, Michigan

See all

Food is sooo damn good!! I highly recommended this place! me and my boyfriend went for lunch go 2 appetizers and 2 drinks and 2 sandwiches for 60$ I think that's a great deal! read more

Okay, so it was between Howe's Bayou and Comos (they are next door to one another, if you've never been)...and we decided on Howe's. We walked in and were immediately seated. The waiter was polite. He offered many suggestions which made it somewhat easier to decide on what to order. I had a taste for gumbo and catfish so that's what I ordered. I wasn't sure on the sides, so I order Corn Maque Choux and Dirty Rice. I guess I should have been paying a bit more attention to the waiter when he told me what was in the Corn Maque Choux, but hey...I was hungry. After a short wait our food arrives. The gumbo was great!! It was seasoned wonderfully and the serving was just the right size. The catfish, was good...two large fillets, seasoned well and cooked to a golden brown. The sides Corn Maque Choux and Dirty Rice were......meh. It turns out that Corn Maque Choux is nothing more than creamed corn with rice dumped on top of it... and the Dirty Rice wasn't dirty at all... So, yep... TWO RICE DISHES!!! Oh well.... See, I'm greedy so the fact that I had two rice dishes didn't bother me at all. I would've torn them both up.....problem is, both side items were lacking in flavor and left much to be desired. I dunno, the rice was dry and tasted like.... instant rice or something -- oh well. Overall, Howe's Bayou was not a terrible experience, but it wasn't great either. Maybe I'll go back one day...but maybe not. This place was nothing to write home about...next time I'll choose Comos. read more

Howe's Bayou - Catfish Dinner - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Ferndale, Michigan

I love love love Howes. the service is always killer and I feel so at home bellied right up the bar. The owner is always there and always is so welcoming and a look in his eyes like "you want to party and Im gonna help you with that". I think the food execution could use a little polishing up but i just love the vibe so much and it has an x-factor that forgives any short comings they may have. I would say go and try it for yourself. Chorizo encrusted oyster po boy is so on point so i stick with it. Regardless its impossible to have a bad time there. read more

I wish I could do better, but I was raised on this stuff and when I say the recipes smell fishy, it's not the cooking, but the variation from true Bayou cooking. Even to the central swamps of Bayou Florida, the etoufee sauce is sub-par and unauthentic from the dozen variations I have eaten in Breaux Bridge and Baton Rouge, LA. The closest to Bayou cooking is in Ann Arbor I believe and the etoufee sauce is dark and filled with crawfish. However, I will order again, I like the fried oysters and the desserts. I wish they would work on the recipes though; I have been eating there a year and the recipe has not changed once that I am aware aside from being short-stocked on occasions. read more

The only Cajun/Creole food I've had was out of a food truck in Columbus so I was very intrigued to see that Ferndale had bites of Louisiana and surrounding areas in town. I came with a pretty large group of friends and the waitresses were very nice and attentive. The prices are pretty okay - slightly on the higher side for the amount of food you are served. Overall, we tried the pulled pork Po' Boy, fried oysters Po' Boy, Andouille Sausage Po' Boy, Jambalaya, Salmon Caesar Salad, Chicken Creole and a Voodoo BBQ Shrimp. I personally had the fried oysters Po'Boy with a side of Mac and Cheese. Delicious and I loved the tangy and creamy sauce that came with the sandwich. The coleslaw gave a great freshness and kick to the overall bite. I was able to sample pretty much everything that my friends ordered - this is the benefit of being the foodie of the group ... people are excited to see me try foods! The Jambalaya was pretty homey and the portion size is HUGE. You could definitely make three meals out of it. The housemade chips were pretty tasty. The Creole Chicken looked kind of risky - black sauce and all but the flavors were amazing. My friend said the pulled pork was really tasty and unique. The Voodoo Shrimp was also pretty tasty. Overall, a great experience especially on a Friday night which tends to be more busy. read more

Howe's Bayou - Fried Oyster Po'Boy with a side of Mac and Cheese - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Ferndale, Michigan

See all

So happy we decided to try this place out. It's different, well-priced, and satisfying. I would have to describe the food we ate as savory and spicy. Lots of flavors to perk your senses. Not everything on their menu is spicy, but we like spicy food, so that is what we ordered. So far we have been back to Howe's Bayou three times. What I recommend is their Crawfish Bisque, any of their Creole dishes, the Calamari is perfect! Oh, and their Hot Green Salad, which isn't really spicy....it's a fresh, warm salad with a savory Voodoo sauce. Make sure to try one of their many yummy sides - Fresh-made Corn Bread (free with every dinner or soup), Cole Slaw, Red Beans and Rice, Collared Greens, and more. Who knew this little Southern-style gem is discretely nestled into Detroit's suburb (Ferndale)! read more

Check your order when getting carry out. I love the food here, it's great. I have never gotten anything I didn't like. But, almost every time I order carry out a few things are missing. Tonight it was rice and the sauce for the bread pudding. It's just a bummer paying for stuff then having them missing. read more

One of my very favorite places to eat in Ferndale. I had a wonderful catfish and the best cornbread ever! The calamari and the crawfish bisque are yummy! The service is amazing! I have had friends with me and we are always accomodated with a great table and great waitstaff! If I could give Howe's Bayou more stars, I most certainly would!!! read more

Went there on a recent Saturday with the fam, and had a really nice time. The interior is charming and comfortable, and smells pleasingly old, like furniture polish and books or something, and the staff could not have been nicer, from the hostess to the server to the guy who came by with water. Overall, we thought the food was great, but I have to say that the Voodoo Shrimp was way too saucy. It was described as marinated, grilled shrimp (I think--I enjoyed a cocktail as well:), but the shrimp came out swimming in a brown sauce, almost as if the marinade was served with the shrimp rather than being discarded prior to grilling. Other than that, the crawfish and shrimp dishes we ate were delicious, as were the rice and beans that my aunt got as a side. We will definitely be back the next time we're in the mood for a tasty, relaxed, friendly meal in a great location. read more

I used to like this place but the jambalaya had half cooked rice. The crawfish was delicious. Maybe they changed the chef?

This wasn't our intended location, but we walked in and they had a table for us. This was decent bayou cuisine. The variety was great. They have nice Louisiana beers at a decent price. We had cups of soup/gumbo. They came with a large piece of corn bread, maybe a little too much. We shared the special, succulent pork, and it was delicious, again with 2 large chunks of corn bread. The service was attentive. We will come back. read more

What can I say... we stopped in here at 3:30pm, and the place was packed on a Saturday. Started with Oyster's (very good, but maybe over priced?) with an excellent selection of hot sauces... My dad and brother's polished off 2 Po Boys (Spicy Shrimp and Catfish) and I had Crayfish Cakes (very spicy, not crispy). Sweet Potato Fries, like WOW! We had Bread Pudding for a dessert, which turned my nephew into a Bread Pudding Hoover, as he inhaled nearly the entire plate before anyone else got more than a single spoonful. Only "negatives?" Poor parking (like all of Ferndale) and the place is actually a wee bit small. Friendly wait staff! read more

I enjoy coming to this place once in a while. The food is great and unique at the same time. Their sweet potato fries and the dipping sauce is tasty. The staff are overall friendly and willing to help you out. Prices are reasonable. The down fall to this place is the seating and the lighting. It is very cramped inside and you don't have a while lot of wiggle room. The lighting is very dim so once the sun goes down it is really hard to see inside. read more

If Huey Long finds out about this place Detroit will be renamed and we will all start speaking with a Cajun ascent and mysteriously begin demanding Motor City zydeco. "There Goes The Neighborhood" "The Junkster" read more

The huge bar is a perfect place to grab a drink, bite to eat and watch a game. The staff is really, really nice. The food is great and they always offer a special for the day. Try any of the unique cocktails from the drink list - they're delicious. read more

Fantastic! We loved the place. We started with the popcorn crawfish, crawfish étouffée, sides do cole slaw and butter beans, and finished with bread pudding and key lime pie. The meal was amazing. The spice was just right as we like a bit of a kick. I was ready to add hot sauce but after one bite knew the seasoning was perfect as cooked. Hubby swears a grandma was in the kitchen cooking. Our great server Britt kept us happy. We will definitely be back next time with friends. read more

I LOVE HOWE'S! This is without a doubt one my favorite restaurants in the area. The food is consistently delicious, waitstaff is phenomenal, and the owner is always around to check on your table. The shrimp pasta is my go to meal-- spicy, creamy, and loaded with shrimp. It's not NOLA level creole food, but it's damn close for a Michigan while in the wall! read more

The food was very good, but it was a little cramped inside. This place has more of a bar/pub atmosphere.

Omg best Cajun food EVER! would recomend this place to everyone!! they have a great beer and drink selection too!

I love this restaurant. My husband has been here many times and also loves it. I've been twice and I think it's the bees knees. The food is delicious. I had a catfish po boy the first time I went and then a smoked salmon dish from the cold plates on my most recent visit. The portions are great, the prices are good and the service is very very attentive. The decor inside is really fun too. I will definitely go back again and again. read more

Amazing food and reasonably priced. Perfect amount of spice and southern comfort.

It was alright. 1st red flag ritz crackers with fish dip. Friends and I shared crab cakes, mussel pasta, voodoo shrimp..all 3 were super bland and under seasoned we all agreed. Wouldn't go here again not sure how this place got such good reviews on google and facebook! read more

The creole food was SHOCKINGLY GOOD! The gumbo is the best I have tasted outside of Louisiana (where my grandmother lived for 20 years). Expect authentic flavors. You won't find the overspiced, commercially processed flavors you get at other "cajun" restaurants. The atmosphere is laid-back and down-home. The service was great. Voodoo shrimp was cooked to tender perfection. Honestly, I can't remember that last time I had shrimp cooked so skillfully. The voodoo sauce was awesome - slightly sweet, slightly spicy. The short ribs had excellent flavor and texture. We loved the sides of crawfish bisque, corn bread and the homemade chips. I am so excited to find a unique menu with authentic creole and cajun flavors with skilled preparation. read more

5 Stars "As good as it gets" for Michigan people looking to experience NOLA style food. From Gumbo to Jambalaya, crawfish cakes to Voodoo shrimp. Everything is really good. Happy hour offers great specials. read more