Howletts is a great venue and a Chester VA institution. Established originally in 1749 (pre-America, folks) and the current version in 1987. The new owner was busting his hump waiting tables due to a shortage of personnel, that was a nice touch. Hands on entrepreneur's are my kind of people. read more

Howlett's Restaurant & Tavern - Deep fried deviled eggs. LEGIT. Batter is super crisp and lite, soft egg. Dipping sauce with jalapeño. Nice heat. Nothing crazy. - American Near Me - Chester, Virginia

See all

Let's howl for Howletts! Wooooo!! We loved this cozy, dimly lit tavern with its rustic feel. The menu was thoughtful and inviting, but I had to order the steak! They have ribeye, filet mignon, sirloin, and prime rib to mention the usual suspects! Mine was perfectly seasoned and presented beautifully. My entree came with mashed potatoes, buttery and creamy, and I ordered asparagus as well. The food was superb! My hubby ordered a seafood pasta dish that he loved! They also have fan favs like burgers, fried shrimp, crab cakes, fish & chips, ribs, sandwiches and more! The menu offers so many tasty dishes, I want to come back to try more!! We ordered a red wine with dinner and it complimented the food well! Our service was excellent and the prices match the quality and quantity of the menu! We are planning a visit soon because the parking and location in Chester makes this an easy spot to enjoy!! read more

Howlett's Restaurant & Tavern - American Near Me - Chester, Virginia

See all

Food wasn't terrible. Ambiance a bit dated. Mostly older crowd. My salmon was not bad, and the brussel sprouts were actually delicious. Shout-out to my waitress Cara who was sweet, courteous, and quickly switched out one of my sides that I wasn't too fond of, with another one. Perhaps a one and done for me, but who knows? I may go back. read more

Howlett's Restaurant & Tavern - American Near Me - Chester, Virginia

See all

Stopped in for dinner while in town. The place is very quaint in the middle of a little shopping area I think. Plenty of parking. The bar area is very small. Maybe six seats at the bar and a couple of tables packed. I had the shrimp and grits which were good. My guest had the steak which was also good. The drinks were OK. Overall not a bad place to try if you are in the area. It seemed pretty busy so it must be pretty popular. read more

I ordered med rare Prime Rib, husband ordered medium. Both servings were good sized but overcooked. Server acknowledged they were having some problems where they were temporarily storing their meat- said maybe that's why it turned out that way...- said she'd mention it to the kitchen . It tasted ok/ but def not freshly cooked. No cream for the coffee and the lemon cream cake was COLD not cool - seemed like it wasn't quite defrosted long enough The meal sadly, was disappointing. Could have been a good spot to make a regular drop in. The room was nicely kept, beautiful woodwork and nice table setting/ but cant recommend this place it to friends. read more

Good food, good service, great atmosphere. The waitress was very helpful when we said it was our first time there. Will definitely be back!

Very disappointed in this visit. Had been awhile since I had been to Howlett's. Had girls night out and looking forward to happy hour, only to find out happy hour is at the bar only. The bar is very small and two tables crammed into a very small space beside the bar. Really no where to sit. We ordered a bottle of wine and the waitress never asked if we wanted a second. We probably would have gotten a second bottle but again never asked. One friend got the prime rib and said was lacking flavor. Another got the fish and chips and said was ok. A third got salad with grilled shrimp. Shrimp looked baked not grilled, again just ok. I got the Philly steak sub which was very good. It came with potato chips. Asked waitress for ketchup, had to ask again. Service was not very good. Need to bring back happy hour at the table. Will probably not go back to Howlette's for girls night out. read more

Food was good and the bar tender was very engaging great experience over all. ..... ..... ......

Stopped in for a quick dinner solo on a work trip. I ordered up some French Onion Soup along with their Short Rib dinner. The French onion soup was okay, but it lacked some richness that you need in that classic dish, and there was a faint burned taste in the onions. If I went back I'd pass on the FOS. After the soup, out came my Short Rib dinner, a very nicely braised short rib atop some mashed potatoes, some of the braising liquid as a sauce/gravy for the mashers, and some mixed veggies. The mixed veggies were a miss for me, they weren't seasoned at all and almost tasted like they were very lightly pickled, didn't really compliment the rest of the plate. Now the mashers and the short rib, that is a fantastic combo any day of the week and the primary reason I went. They were the real star, and rightfully so. After I finished eating I noticed on the other side of the drink menu triangle display that they had happy hour bites for very reasonable prices. Had I noticed that earlier, I likely would have just hit that up and got a few small bites. Some good looking stuff on there. If you get there before 6, definitely check that out. read more

I have visited Howlett's many times and the service is consistently excellent. I can't say enough good about the personal treatment we receive each time we have been there. The menu has plenty to choose from. Salads, soups sandwiches. If you have read my previous reviews you know that I am a burger guy. The Texan Burger served on Texas Toast is fabulous and cooked just right. My wife's salmon salad was loaded with salmon. Our friend's go to is the Philly Chicken Sandwich gets rave reviews. For dinner entree's Howlett's is well known for their prime rib. Seasoned and cooked perfectly! You must visit this wonderful neighborhood restaurant located in the Village Green in the heart of Chester. read more

Haven't been here in a long time (don't get to Chester much any longer) but was out this way and my husband suggested we have lunch. The people were so nice, fast service, food came out quickly and hot and it was delicious! read more

Howlett's Restaurant & Tavern - Chicken Philly with Sweet Potato Fries - American Near Me - Chester, Virginia

Went to the restaurant on Monday because their website said they were open. But they were closed. Wasted a 30 min drive!!!!!

Great restaurant. We were in town for a softball tournament for our daughter and of course it was also our wedding anniversary. We decided to try this restaurant which we wanted to try last year when we were in town for another tournament(they don't open til late). We of course tried the fried deviled eggs(didn't get a pic) they were so good. Worth getting an order or two. We ordered the grouper which was on the specials menu. Grouper itself was seasoned nicely and nice lite meal. Also ordered the steak and mushroom risotto, so good. Cooked perfectly. Our waitress was friendly and prompt. We ordered the crème brûlée so good and lite. The waitress told us afterwards that the restaurant was giving us our dessert for free for our anniversary which was so sweet. Cute restaurant nice and clean. Would give it a try if in the area. read more

Howlett's Restaurant & Tavern - Grouper - American Near Me - Chester, Virginia

See all

Howlett's Restaurant & Grill is a good place to get a prime rib. The atmosphere is a laid back with a wooden motif. It's clean and serviceable. Service was attentive and staff frequently asked about refills and if we needed anything. The prime rib was very good. While I don't think it was a prime cut, it was very good in texture, taste and well prepared. Good drink selection and pour. I recommend Howlett's Restaurant & Grill and I'll be back for their prime rib. read more

Howlett's Restaurant & Tavern - Prime rib....very good. - American Near Me - Chester, Virginia

I see all these 5* reviews but this is not my experience. My spouse has been awake with diarrhea through the night. Not really surprised since her salmon had to be returned as it was raw in the center; my prime rib was supposed to medium rare but came rare and had also had to Be sent back. Even then It was tasteless as if no salt or pepper had been added, I ended up leaving half of it. The hot bread was tasteless white bread, the apple pie was a big disappointment- cold and overly sweet, my spouse hardly ate any of it. The only positive were our starters and the server. And all this cost us $150 - terrible waste. We will never return. read more

This was a gem of a restaurant. Did not look like much from the outside. Inside was a warm, linen tablecloth with subdued lighting. Felt a little like a tavern. Good food selection and great service. Worth a visit! read more

Went with a friend and seated quickly. Inside was cozy but maybe dated. Nothing on the menu jumped off the page. Ended up with French onion soup and a salad with grilled chicken. Soup was terrible. Salad and grilled chicken a savage as you can get. Tough town for fine dining, but Howlett's was a one and done. read more

The whole experience went well. Great food. The pork tenderloin was outstanding and I had the green beans as I don't care for brussels sprouts and they were excellent! Hunter has made such great improvement, sir. It's always been we our favorites, but definitely appreciate all the upgrades. read more

The food is amazing The service is great Dinner by candlelight Love the fried eggs Can't say enough good things about Howlett's read more

Howlett's Restaurant & Tavern - Potato skins - American Near Me - Chester, Virginia

We have eaten inside numerous times and the service, ambiance and food were all spectacular. Today we are running from place to place and need to eat in our vehicle before our next appointment so I place an online order to go. It was ready at the stated time, about 20 minutes. Before exiting the building, my husband asked if everything was in the bag and was told yes. We get to the car, hastily peep into the bag, didn't immediately see eating utensils, napkibns or steak sauce but we are short on time so we drive off. When he called to ask if there were utensils in the bag the lady said no so he asked her why not. She said we asked you if you needed them. My husband replied no one asked me anything. Common sense would tell you to add utensils for a "to go" order. She said hold on sir then just disconnected the call. So rude. We spent almost $80 for two meals plus a nice tip. Guess we can mark this establishment off of our list for future visits. It costs nothing to be kind but everything when kindness is omitted. read more

We have been here for brunch and dinner several times. The food is always delicious! Staff is kind and usually pretty quick! The layout of the restaurant is also nicely spaced out so it never feels too loud or crowded! read more

I had one of the specials,which was a fried chicken sandwich with pimento cheese. It was hot and wonderful! It also came with a side of fries. The fries were great too. We also had a mimosa, perfect lunch! read more

Had dinner here, the day after they opened. Despite being just open, the server was very knowledgeable and good. We had the fried deviled eggs, Reuben, crab cakes, Tilapia, and shrimp Cobb salad. All the food was good, especially the deviled eggs. I could have eaten the entire plate myself. I had a paradise cocktail and could have drank a pitcher of them.... SO GOOD. Not gonna lie though, the best part of all of it was the peanut butter pie!! It was to die for!!!! Almost considered getting another one to go. The only thing that wasn't perfect was that we were downstairs and it was quite hot in the room. But with 100 degree temps outside I get the struggle is real to get AC to work properly. I will definitely come back next time I am in town. read more

Howlett's Restaurant & Tavern - Paradise cocktail - American Near Me - Chester, Virginia

Food was great and even better service. We sat at the bar until a table was ready. We will be back.

The service was excellent! The staff were friendly and informative. The food was amazing as well. I highly recommend the steak and fried deviled eggs! The restaurant itself was clean and inviting. read more

Stopped here on a whim and boy was I surprised!!! Amazing bourbon selection great prices, the prime rib was delicious!! Morgan makes a great old fashioned. Don't skimp on this place!! Quiet very nice atmosphere nice place to relax after work!! read more

Howlett's Restaurant & Tavern - Excellent bourbon line up - American Near Me - Chester, Virginia

We have always had good service and really good food. Whether it is a special occasion or just dinner out, we always enjoy Howlett's menu.

First time here. Decor has an antique like vibe. While the batter of the fish was bland the texture made up for it. The inside was nice and flaky, the outside wasn't overly oily. Tartar sauce was good. The fries were crisp and fresh. The parmesan Brussel sprouts were done just right. Portions were perfect. Excited to come back and try other entrees on the menu. read more

Howlett's Restaurant & Tavern - Fish and chips , Parmesan brussel sprouts - American Near Me - Chester, Virginia

Howlett's is a fan favorite in Chester. We went there prior to going to a show at the Perkinson Center. The staff was very friendly and helpful. The food is traditional "American " style with a lot of across the board options. The order came out quick and timed just right. We didn't feel like we were being rushed. We had appetizers, salad, main course, wine, coffee and dessert. My only problem was the cut quality of the 12 oz rib eye. Not the best looking cut, a little bit tough but it was cooked to my order. And lastly our dessert was a bit weird. Key lime pie and cheesecake served with a soup spoon plain. Tasted great. Over all, we'll be back. Can't wait to try one of the sandwiches on the menu. read more

Howlett's Restaurant & Tavern - Potato Skins - American Near Me - Chester, Virginia

See all

First my wife and I had planned an event for our congregation elders and ministerial servants which was a total of 33 people. Instead of doing it at home thisbyear we did it at Howletts. We planned well in advance, and had a verity of choices for dinner but we selected the prime rib, stuffed chicken, and burbon glazed salmon with baked potatoes green beens and choice of desserts. We arrived promptly at 4 and were seated right away. Everything, without exception went extremely well. The salads were freshly made and cold, those that had the soup said itnwas the best. When the main courses came I was supprised that the prime rib was cooked to perfection, the fish was magnificent and the chicken was delicious. The service also on top of everything and took very good care of all of us. Hunter took excellent care of us. We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. Thanks gang and im sure you have 33 new customers!!!! read more

I am traveling from out of town and this is the BEST restaurant I have come across. The owner, Hunter is so accommodating and a great bartender/waiter/conversationalist. I felt very at home and had a lot of fun. read more

16.50 for a mediocre salad My eyes ordered a picture of fried shrimp Cobb salad Menu says grilled shrimp They were small shrimp Lettuce eh mushy Tomato slices eh Eggs are halves I prefer deviled eggs Fried green tomatoes thick cut Dessert crème brulee good Expensive lunch read more

A hidden gem! After 400 miles driving home from Hilton Head, we found Howlett's. It's tucked into a nice set of apartments and other businesses. Our server was Kara, and she was friendly, and very accommodating to our needs. Food and drinks were great, and price was also great. If you're in the area, you won't be disappointed. read more

So... this was my 2nd time here... we went because we saw fried deviled eggs on the menu and wanted to see what that was all about... when we went the first time, i got the prime rib sandwich... and it was pretty bland... but i thought maybe i just got the wrong thing, because that happens sometimes... the second time we went, we got the fried deviled eggs again and this time i got the chicken cordon bleu sandwich... and um... it was just as bland as the prime rib sandwich... it was literally a chicken breast that tasted like it was seasoned with tap water... i tried to add a little salt and pepper, but it did nothing for it... it could have used a little Lawrys.... I gave a 3 star rating because both times, the sweet potato fries were delicious and so were the fried deviled eggs.... One major complaint, the waitress had her finger holding the pickle on the plate when she put it down.... What in the world... she was very nice... but still... no... But all the staff was really really nice!! read more

Howlett's Restaurant & Tavern - Chicken cordon bleu - American Near Me - Chester, Virginia

I have been wanting to try it and was glad to see DoorDash had it listed tonight. Obviously, nothing is as good once it travels a half hour or more, but this experience made us want to go there and dine in. We had the signature fried deviled eggs, ribs, Reuben, and a kid's bacon cheeseburger. The Reuben was classic with a tasty 1000 island. The ribs very saucy, but a thumbs up from my husband and 10 year old. Kid burger was a large size and did not skimp. The eggs were not our fave, but the onion rings and broccoli good. The bread loaf was soft and fresh with good whipped butter. We will try again, but dine in for sure. read more

See all

Was a big fan of Howlett's, last two times it was terrible. I asked if ownership or cooks had changed. I was correct on both. I complained about the poor quality of the food and was offered no apology or compensation. I will never go back. read more

Service 100% Fried pickle appetizer 100% Drink cost $100% Entree/dinner 50% We ordered the fried shrimp platter and a Parmesan encrusted chicken The shrimp was popcorn shrimp (not described as such on the menu) for $17 and there was nothing special about it-it looked like they poured it out of a frozen bag. The chicken looked like it was also pre-made (frozen) it was a small breast filet with zero seasoning just Parmesan. It didn't taste like anything you would expect. It was plain, boring, not good and I didn't actually eat more than a couple of bites. This was also a $17 plate. I will note the waitress noticed I didn't eat it and asked what was wrong and I told her I just didn't care for it...she was a really great server. I wasn't going to ask for anything to swap it or otherwise because it wasn't bad or cooked wrong it just wasn't something I would eat. But she very nicely removed it from our check. We came expecting tavern style food and we got sub par food that we could have purchased in the freezer section. I wouldn't recommend. read more

Howlett's Restaurant & Tavern - Menu items - American Near Me - Chester, Virginia

Fried deviled eggs were delicious. I had the seafood special which was cooked perfectly! Only complaint is that the shrimp tasted freezer burnt. But my husband enjoyed his steak very much. read more

We had the repast for our mother at Howlett's restaurant & Tavern. We were please with the customer service, cost, food, and seating arrangements. I would use the site again for large gatherings like receptions or engagements. Dr. Booker read more

Had a neighborhood dinner party there. The one server was a little overwhelmed because - well - one server. But she pulled through like a champ. I have forgotten her name. So service was a little slow but couldn't be helped and it was a dinner party so we talked with our neighbors. The food we ordered? My steak and cheese sandwich was excellent. It's my favorite thing on the menu and I always get it. It's that good. Shaved ribeye, melted cheese, lettuce, tomato, onions and peppers. Sweet and hot. I forget the dressing but I'm sure you can ask for what you want. Vinegar and oil or mayo. My dinner companion had the Ruben snd said it was just ok. I don't eat those, so I can't comment. They got the kettle chips and I upgraded to a side of onion rings. It was so good, I didn't even take a picture. read more