Came to Howie's Bayou for a friend's birthday/Mardi Gras celebration. We were doing a Carnival/Mardi Gras night and wanted to start our night with a taste of New Orleans before heading to a jazz bar. It was a Friday night and they were super busy and packed. It's a smaller space, long and rectangular in shape with four seater tables on one side and seating at the bar on the other. We didn't have a reservation and I'm not sure if they take them but the hostess was very nice and helpful with getting seats together for us at the bar. We ended up splitting our group up and sitting four at one end of the bar and four at the other end. For drinks, they have specialty cocktails/martinis listed on a chalkboard in the middle of the bar. They had Girl Scout cookie themed martinis like a Samoa martini with Godiva, coconut rum and amaretto and a Thin Mint martini with Godiva, peppermint schnapps and cream. I had the Banana Foster martini which was very yummy and tasted like banana cream pie with a cookie crumb rimmed glass. They had lots of bourbons and whiskey and my friend got an old fashioned which she really liked. They also had a peanut butter bourbon old fashioned on special. I also had a hurricane because I had to have a true New Orleans Mardi Gras fave and it was very good but stroooong! Lol the hurricane was pretty boozy. For dinner I've been craving jambalaya so I had to get my jambalaya fix! The jambalaya was made with chicken and andouille sausage and served with cornbread and it was very good. One of my friends got the crawfish etouffee which was crawfish meat in a seafood stew with rice and it looked really good. Another friend got the crawfish boil on special which was served in a bucket and they give you a bowl to chuck the shells of the crawfish. The server/bartender showed my friend how to de-shell the crawfish and eat them. Another friend got the shrimp and chorizo sausage pasta in a cream sauce and he really liked it. The crawfish cakes and voodoo shrimp were also hits amongst our group. Definitely make sure to save room for dessert because their desserts are pretty amazing. One of my friends got the peach cobbler and I tried some of it and it was super delicious! The next time I stop in, I definitely have to get the warm gooey peach cobbler with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, yum! So good! Another friend got the chocolate brownie sundae and the birthday boy got the bread pudding with bourbon sauce and a scoop of ice cream. They said they only give a free dessert on the actual day of your birthday with photo ID and my friend's birthday is on this upcoming Tuesday but when I asked if they could put a candle on his dessert so we could sing Happy Birthday since we were out celebrating, they ended up giving his dessert for free anyways which was nice. Atmosphere was fun and festive! Service was very good! The server/bartender explained all the menu specials to us, orders and food were taken and brought out quickly and water glasses were always full. We had a great time here and really enjoyed our food and drinks! Can't wait to return for dinner again sometime! read more

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I thoroughly enjoy the food and the ambiance every time I come here. It gets a bit crowded on Fat Tuesday though, not sure why that would be the case. Do yourself a favor and try the butter beans. read more

There are so many popular restaurants in Ferndale that it's easy to overlook Howe's Bayou. I'll admit that our family goes here usually after we've walk past other restaurants with a long wait. And yet, every time, we find ourselves asking why we don't come here more often. The restaurant serves good-sized portions of seafood with very reasonable prices. Our server was attentive and patient with our son who wasn't quite sure of what he wanted. My son hasn't had many seafood dishes at restaurants and after asking some questions, decided on a shrimp bisque and an order of muscles in a buttery, garlicky, white wine sauce. I always get the shrimp po'boy and decided to go with the mac n' cheese side this time. My husband enjoyed a dinner of beans and rice with Andouille sausage. We ate everything! The owner also came outside to check on us. He also checked on a man in a wheelchair nearby. He talked to the man for a few minutes. A little while later, he came out with a box of food for the man. It was such a kind gesture that made me love this place more. As we finished up our meal, the sun went down and it started to get chilly. We were able to catch a few songs from the live band before we paid our check and left. Great food, great service, great prices. We will be back. read more

Always good service and good food! Great atmosphere to sit and enjoy company. Variety of drinks to choose from

Food was just okay. I was expecting more flavor from everything. The service was just okay too. We were the only table here and our waitress didn't check on us after we tasting the food. And the ambiance was just okay as well. read more

Howe's Bayou - Mississippi Farm Raised Catfish - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Ferndale, Michigan

Most of the food was salty and all tasted the same. A runner was helping to deliver food and gave my vegetables to the table in front of me. They sat there for a few minutes until it was realized by my actual server that they were at the wrong table. I took the veggies but did not eat them because I honestly didn't feel comfortable doing so. The greens tasted like they had soap on them (which is actually why I ended up with the veggies; I sent the greens back). The server was ok. It was during the Woodward Dream Cruise so I think maybe he was rushing a little to flip our table, maybe ? The soup was fantastic and the shrimp appetizer was amazing! I could've passed on everything else. read more

Awesome food, service and bar. I had the cup of gumbo with cornbread. It was thick and very flavorful! The sweetness of the cornbread went very well with the gumbo. I also had the voodoo chicken over dirty rice. It was lovely! I actually ordered the voodoo shrimp so they brought a few of those too. The sauce, rice and both the chicken and shrimp were marinated and very flavorful. Great restaurant and service. I'm looking forward to visiting again. read more

Always the best food. Dirty rice is awesome. Had the catfish ettoufe. Delish. Wife got the gumbo. Good choice as well.

This inside of this restaurant stinks. So we were forced to sit outside. We wanted to give this place a try due to the high ratings. I for one, never have had gumbo. So we sit down and the first thing that comes out of the waitresses mouth is, I'll try to be attentive, but there's only two of us, can I get your full order now?" Uhm? Yeah that really puts "faith " in the whole place. We get our food, it wasn't the worst but it wasn't anything worth coming back for. Cornbread tasted like a rubbery shoe. Jiffy cornbread mix in a 15 cent box is better. If I had any advice to give this place it would be, get rid of the 100 year old interior and smell of this place. Update your restaurant and hire more servers. read more

Howe's Bayou - Beef tips with rice. Meat cooked wonderfully. - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Ferndale, Michigan

came here around 7 pm and I was able to get seated right away! Had the voodoo shrimp appetizer and it was small but good! I got the shrimp poboy and it was FRESH!!!! the fried shrimp was great texture. would have to come again to try more food! read more

Howe's Bayou - cocktail specialty in bourbon and martinis - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Ferndale, Michigan

I'm giving them a 5! Didn't have the food, but still giving them a 5 based on the staff, cleanliness, service, decor, and clean restrooms. We stopped here for the 2nd Annual Ferndale Fall Crawl. The place is small so we worried about our presence. Not a problem! The owners were super nice and accommodating. The servers were so great and patient with us. They were pleasant and worked well with a bunch of intoxicated people dressed like Lumberjacks! Drinks there are good and not pricey. There was a spiked hot chocolate drink that was so good!! Oh, I did have food, but not a meal. Had some of a friends appetizer that I believe was spinach artichoke dip. It was really good! This place was really homey. I actually can't wait to go back because it is so inviting. And because I really want to taste the food! I will update then! read more

Howe's Bayou - This is their delicious adult hot chocolate beverage! - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Ferndale, Michigan

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Where do I begin...! This is one of my top 20 must try places in metro Detroit. I have been going here at least for over 10 years and the food... let me tell you about the food... Atchafalaya Chicken..., Vodoo Shrimp, Crole food at an affordable price. Excellent staff also Jambalaya... yes! New Orleans Detroit style... and the smells and taste in here will have you thinking your in a restaurant right off Bourbon Street. Your going to wanna start with one of their famous cocktails. The Bartenders always consistent and serves nice cold stiff ones. Then your going to indulge your taste buds on some of the amazing appetizers. Then grab the corn bread and enjoy some red beans and rice, a po boy, or some fried catfish!!! Nothing on the menu is bad so you can't go wrong. Kyle is my favorite waiter. Always smiling read more

Food was not bad but not great either, Cajun fried shrimp, good fresh tasting shrimp however the batter was not flavorful at all. Macaroni was good. Service and ambiance are both good, it's a pretty laid back environment read more

Howe's Bayou - Cajun Fried Shrimp and Macaroni & Cheese - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Ferndale, Michigan

The best Cajun food around!! The staff, atmosphere and food, and drinks are all fantastic!!

Really solid food. Decent service. Nice drink selection. Years ago, we would frequent this place; not sure why we stopped coming, but decided to try it again. Have been back several times since. I can't tell if the seafood is fresh or frozen, so I guess that's a good thing. Everything we tried was solid. Shrimp and Grits being a favorite. Not the best I've ever had, but solid. Shrimp could be bigger and the sauce is the weak part of the dish; order sauce on the side. Basically everything we ordered was properly cooked and tasted good. Only exception is their gumbo. Its just not good. All 4 of us tried it, and all agreed it was not good. Server did not look surprised that it was uneaten. Service is very professional, yet casual. Bar is fully stock and moderately priced. Worth a visit (just don't order gumbo). read more

Yaaaaas!! Yaaaaaaaassss!! YAAAAAAAAAAAAAASSSSSSS!!! We were in Burndale for the night cause cousins wanted to get together for my sissy-in-law's last night before she Flys back to Hotlanta. First we went to "Blah-lentines" ambiance was great, but it was packed with tiara wearing, I just turned 21 crowd that makes me nautious. Yea, no thanks! NEXT!!! "M-screw" from what I thought would be the savior,, didn't deliver at all. This one was packed with jocks high-fiving over golf video games and singing along to loud rock music. Hollering and screaming at my friends isn't my idea of a good conversation. NEXT!!! Enter Howe's Bayou,, unassuming,, un-snooty,, and just plain awesome, shoot the breeze over a few drinks good time. Where we sat at the bar, greeted hella warmly and given a great service short of a foot massage. My craft beer was served cold in a proper pint glass. Our mussels Creole Style arrived hot and fresh. Which was extremely mouth punching good by the way. There's something in that sauce that just makes it go the extra hundred miles of yumminess. Use the bread to mop up all that goodness. Trust me on this. I know what I'm doing. I LOVE YOU HOWE'S BAYOU! I've finally found my favorite bar in all of Burndale. Weeeeeeee!! read more

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Everything from the fried oyster, to the lobster w/shrimp bisque was delicious. I will be back soon. Our server was friendly, attentive and informative when asked questions about the menu. No complaints from this greedy girl... read more

Howe's Bayou - Alchafalel chicken.. (I think thats how you spell it).. - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Ferndale, Michigan

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Food is good. Very intimate and small. Service pleasant i haven't had any problems with this restaurant nice cozy spot low key.

The food is always delicious and the wait staff is fantastic. I highly recommend this place. The mustard fried catfish is freaking delicious as is their gumbo and corn bread. read more

Howe's Bayou - The Detroit Martini with blue cheese stuffed olives - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Ferndale, Michigan

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I think Howe's deserves a 3.5 maybe...mostly because of the awesome outdoor dining space. The service was friendly and fairly fast, and the food was a LITTLE pricey and under-seasoned, but good overall. I'll return, probably, but maybe just for drinks and a snack rather than an entree. You'll get better taste and prices at Harbor House downtown. We each ordered soup to start - gumbo for him and the crawfish bisque for me. The gumbo was decent, but it's much better at Harbor House...and the crawfish bisque was really good, but not QUITE hot enough for me. (I like soup to come out steaming.) Definitely worth ordering. I then had the tenderloin tips with voodoo sauce, because they're known for their voodoo sauce. They were perfectly cooked, well seasoned, and the rice was a perfect texture. Yum. I didn't realize they were served over a bed of rice, so I also ordered the dirty rice as a side, and it was very bland. Like, Zataran's dirty rice from a box is better. Hubby ordered the catfish po' boy and subbed mashed potatoes for the chips. The sandwich was decent - well fried and on good bread, but the potatoes were bland. Everything needed hot sauce. He also ordered the mac n' cheese side, and while the pasta was perfectly cooked and the cheese was yummy and melty, it was also lacking in flavor. You could easily skip it. Overall, a decent experience, but nothing to write home about. They have a ton of bourbons, so maybe I'll go back and sample those. read more

Howe's Bayou - The gumbo. Ok. - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Ferndale, Michigan

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Came here on a Friday night during the Ferndale Oktofest, and wasn't amazingly surprised by the food, but I will say that this place has a very nice atmosphere for drinks! They have a very nice bar, great cocktail menu, and I can see myself coming back with friends for drinks. I didn't see if they had a happy hour. I ordered the Calamari: and was a fan! Sadly, I didn't think the shrimp pasta was anything out of this world. If anything, it wasn't saucy, and lacked flavor... Maybe I should of ordered something else on the menu, and would be open to suggestions! :) If you like cajun food, I would recommend this place, but perhaps ask the server for their recommendation. The staff was very friendly, and made us feel welcomed! :) read more

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Every time I come in, it's always a very welcoming atmosphere. The gumbo is so yummy and their sweet potato fries with some sort of mayo-honey(?) sauce to pair is really good, too. The only unpleasant experience I had was one time I came in and immediately was met with a strong musty smell that was pungent throughout the entire restaurant. One time thing I'd hope so no biggie! read more

I can't say I love the food from New Orleans. I eat some seafood, but I can't get myself to love andouille sausage in the gumbo. I do like crawfish, but only in a sushi roll. I should try the bisque, as I tend to favor all things bisque. I think it's still a cool spot in Ferndale. read more

Always fresh oysters - which I appreciate ! Good drinks - and crawfish any way u wish read more

I have had a craving for Cajun style food for a while so my husband and I finally decided to try out Howe's. Here is my review: Service: the service was good. Consistently filled water and asking if we needed anything. At the end of the meal the waiter took our plates and spilled some of the sauce on me. I didn't get upset because it was truly an accident but the waiter was kind to apologize and offer a free dessert. Food: We had the crawfish boil for the appetizer. Honestly, I have had better. I am use to seafood boils from HOt N Juicy Crawfish that had a bunch of flavor and spiciness. Howe's was bland for me but I ate them anyways. My husband ate a few too and he agreed that it wasn't what we were use to. My husband had fried catfish with red beans and rice and I had crawfish etoufee. Mine was just okay. It had flavor but it wasn't "slap yo mama" flavor. I prefer the etoufee from Fishbones. However, the catfish and red beans and rice were BOMB! I greedily ate my food and had some of my husbands as well. I liked it so much that I order blackened catfish and red beans in rice to go lol. The meals came with a side of corn bread. Again, it was okay. We prefer the kind I make at home. It has more flavor and isn't as dry. The next day I ate my blackened catfish and red beans and rice. I heated it in the oven. I feel like because it wasn't freshly cooked it wasn't as good as I expected. I would be open to ordering it again to have it fresh but I would probably ask for it to be cooked a little longer. The drinks were good. Husband had a beer and I had their rum punch. We were both very pleased. Overall I would go back again. I just think you need to know what to order. I would go back for the fried catfish specifically....yum read more

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Sit by the service station at the bar and you'll get to hear the waitstaff and kitchen staff talk trash about yourself and other customers Complete turnoff. Bartender was friendly and attentive. read more

Excellent Cajun food, i had the catfish and it was very tasty. I prefer my gumbo a little thicker but the spices were great. Service was fast and very friendly read more

I really recommend this place! Voodoo shrimp is excellent! Really wish the would put the crawfish etouffee back on the menu

Started with Cajun Martini - Pickle Juice and Vodka, it was an intriguing experience. Loved their Raw Oysters on the half shell, they were BIG! which suggests they were West Coast Oysters which are not as tasty as their brethren the smaller East Coast O's but Howie's Oyster's were for me surprisingly very tasty! Maybe they're the day's fresh catch from NoIans Bayou. I was going to have a doz. but all they had was 1/2 doz. left on that day, ironically that's the reputation you want to have, Go! Howie's. All their food is good! Everything from their Crawfish Bisque, Crawfish Cakes, the Gumbo and especially their Jambalaya. Washed it all down with some Nolan's brew, Abita Turbodog. Our very lovely, attentive and astute waitress taught me that the beer is pronounced A-bee-ta. Howie's definitely well represents Nolan's Cajun Cuisine. read more

I can't say much, but what I will say is this: Perfection! Great food, great atmosphere, and beating both of those, the best service. My wife and I live to stay at the bar, get our drinks(banana martini for me, pickle martini for her) don't judge, lol. We love this plAce. Please do yourselves a great service and go down and experience nirvana for yourself. JL and DL. read more

Stopped by to grab a late lunch after exploring the DIY funky ferndale art fair. It was around 90 degrees outside and this is in late September...ahhh! They had lots of food trucks outside but couldn't stand the heat so decided to eat indoors. Been wanting to eat some Cajun food so was happy to stop in here. The interior looked like what I would imagine it to look like in New Orleans...lol. It's a rather small restaurant but has a great "Nola" vibe to it. The only downside was that it was hot inside even though they had overhead fans. Maybe it was because the outside was so hot that it made the restaurant feel that way. At least the bathrooms were air conditioned nice and cool. The food and service was good. They don't have a huge selection but a decent amount to choose from. They have happy hour that starts at 4pm which include $3.50 draft beer, half off appetizer and other drink specials. My husband had the shrimp étouffée with a mango IPA and I ordered a Cajun shrimp po' boy. The étouffée had good flavor and a slightly spicy kick to it. It came with a side of cornbread but it was a little dry. The po' boy was stuffed with shrimp and it came with a side of freshly made potato chips. Overall the place was good and I would definitely return. read more

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I love, loved, loved coming here. After a couple years of wanting to come here, I went with my wife and son. Ferndale is a great place for food, I have not had a bad plate anywhere in town. We started with the Crawfish Cake appetizer, which next time I will get the entree, or maybe not, there are so many interesting Cajun dishes on the menu. All three of our meals were delicious, the Jambalaya, Shrimp Étouffée and the Atchafalaya Chicken. I love the fact that they could could open the front doors to let the fresh air in. We could also hear and see a lot of the cars getting ready for the Woodward Dream Cruise, even though it was a few days early. My son thoroughly enjoyed that the fact that he could see his friends walking and driving by while we were eating. I can't wait to come back and work through more of their menu. read more

I've driven past this place for far too long. The crawfish and lobster bisque for an appetizer was an excellent choice. Extremely flavorful. And the cornbread on the side was complimented the dish really well. The fried catfish poe boy...my goodness :) The homemade fries were a great side dish as well. read more

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

This is a very small, quaint restaurant. It has a full service bar and traditional high and low tables. We went on a Saturday evening , approximately 4-5pm , surprisingly not crowded at all. We were allowed pick our own seat. The atmosphere, had Louisiana flavored pmusic playing in the background. Music playing wasn't intrusive just added to the light hearted mood of the restaurant, making you feel you were in a authentic Louisiana restaurant. We started with a shrimp creole soup, with a slice of cornbread. Soup included was flavored and shrimp was plentiful. Creole soup wasn't overly seasoned, and not to hot. The main meal , I ordered jambalaya. Meal was delicious. I will definitely return. read more

On our first visit, we had the Andouille Encrusted pan fried Oysters and Howe's hot wings as appetizers. Both were good. Our entrees were the Pearl River Pasta and N'Orleans Pasta, and our sides were butter beans, red beans and rice, and collard greens. The sides were okay, but the pastas are the reason we decided to return for a second visit. On our second visit, we had the Great Lakes smoked whitefish dip which I enjoyed very much. It's served with capers, red onion, and horseradish sauce. For entrees, we had the Baton Rouge crawfish cakes and crawfish étouffée. We were not impressed with either. The crawfish cakes were dense and had a weird taste. The étouffée wasn't flavorful either. On our first visit, Ryan (bartender/server) and Ralph (chef) were fabulous. Not sure if they still work there. On our second visit, Patty gave great customer service. read more

Howe's Bayou - Baton Rouge crawfish cakes, red beans and rice, and cornbread. - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Ferndale, Michigan

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If you're looking for a great bar in ferndale that serves great strong drinks this is the place for you. My friend and I both had a long day and her being the ferndale local she is recommended we hit up Howe's for a martini to make us feel better. I am very happy we followed through with her recommendation. She got a delicious Cajun martini with blue cheese stuffed olives and I ended up getting a cocktail called "the hurricane" it was just what I needed! I love this bar! read more

I love Howe's Bayou. I always get the mustard-fried catfish with the wonderful remoulade sauce, dirty rice, and greens. The jambalaya, shrimp po Boy, and gumbo are also excellent. They can get your food fast if you're in a hurry, and it's kid-friendly. read more

Being a sucker for all-things-spiced, gave this place a shot. Having a high-tolerance for spice and the opportunity to try real Cajun food in NOLA: worked against ALL expectations. The smoked salmon app was OK - fattier than usual cuts of salmon was good, but the lack of smokiness and rub along with the basic saltine crackers and tiniest pinch of capers and red onion? Not so much. The jambalaya was SWEET - too sweet that the smokiness and spice was almost non-existent. Star of the show: collard greens (side) Hot sauces (in-house): Absolutely NO heat VERDICT: They might be far from authentic and spice-less, but it's affordable and cozy. read more

Looks nice on the inside and the atmosphere was good. I had mac & cheese as well as jambalaya. the mac and cheese was bland. Not to my liking. The Jambalaya on the other hand was good and spicy just how I like it. I should've tried the drinks too. I'll try them next time. Pretty fast service. Went for takeout, was in and out in under 10 minutes. Go try it if you like creole food. read more

Well we stopped by to meet a friend for drinks, we met her at the bar and she had ordered food and is a regular there. (she rates the food very highly if you like Cajun) My review is for the bar and service. It was a snowy Thursday night so there were only a few people in the place, most seemed like regulars. The bartender was very friendly and was sure to make sure we were taken care of. He was quick to honor all of our requests including bringing us a bottle of Valentine Vodka (distilled right around the corner in Ferndale) to look at. Before leaving the bartender overheard us discussing it was my GF birthday and he offered up a birthday shot for the lady. ;-) What a nice little bonus. Seems like a cool place for a drink or a bite to eat, we will definitely put this place on the list of places I will be checking out again, looking forward to eating the food and having another drink or two as Ferndale is a regular stop to wet my whistle. 5 stars for a local pub to grab a quite drink, I'll report back on the weekend scene as the weather turns read more

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