Howard's feels less like a restaurant and more like walking into your grandmother's kitchen on a…read moreSunday morning--if your grandmother happened to be feeding half the town. The place is always buzzing, and it's immediately obvious that many of the customers are regulars. There are no menus here. Instead, the waitress hands you a notepad and tells you to write down whatever you want. Not sure what to order? Wanda was happy to point us toward favorites like the blueberry pancakes and corned beef hash. The whole experience is refreshingly simple and surprisingly charming. Speaking of Wanda, she treated everyone like old friends stopping by for breakfast. Another employee wandered through the dining room chatting with customers and checking on folks like she had known them for years. Whether she actually knew everyone or just made it feel that way remains one of Howard's great mysteries. We ordered a mix of blueberry pancakes, eggs, bacon, and biscuits and gravy. Everything was delicious, but the blueberry pancakes stole the show. The biscuits and gravy arrived on a plate that appeared to have surrendered completely to the gravy. If you leave hungry, that's probably a personal choice. One of the most entertaining parts of the experience is the honor system. Since you write down your own order, you'd better remember what you asked for when the food arrives and again when it's time to pay. No cheating. The open kitchen lets you watch the cooks at work, and the entire place feels like a gathering spot as much as a restaurant. The downside is that it gets crowded. You may have to wait for a table, and sharing a table with strangers isn't out of the question. If you're looking for white tablecloths, printed menus, and a polished dining experience, keep driving. If you're looking for good food, friendly people, local gossip, and a breakfast experience that feels like a community event, Howard's is exactly where you want to be. PS, bring cash because that's all they take. But there is an ATM in the building if you forget!

Food is amazing. Best Sausage Gravy and biscuits I've eaten in South Carolina. Staff is great and…read moretreat you like family. Always a good meal at a great price. They never disappoint. I highly recommend!!

Super cute place! Amy, my server, was so sweet and the food was great! Country fried steak n gravy-…read moregood- little salty but good- rice n gravy and collards were very good and excellent biscuit! And ... what you can't miss is the dessert!! They have homemade cakes that are phenomenal!! I had the German chocolate but they had hummingbird, pineapple cake, double chocolate cake... so many!! This is a quaint place w feel good food and excellent desserts!! Check it out!!

This was my first time going to this restaurant and I was so excited because online it said they…read morehad a California Dreaming salad. When we arrived it had all the feel of a old Country Restaurant which made me feel excited about the kind of hands that we're going to cook that food. We were promptly sat and were provided great service the entire time at the restaurant. One of my big pet peeves is to have an empty drink cup and it never got half empty the entire time we were there cuz all the wait staff and even the manager made sure they never did. My issue is the only thing that made that salad anything like California Dreaming where the Almond slivers. This salad started out as a spring mix with very little iceberg lettuce or hearts. The dressing was more of a honey mustard poppy seed kind of dressing with no bacon and I was very much not impressed with their choice of ham and bag shredded cheese. I did see some of the other entrees brought to other tables like the fried chicken and hamburgers which looked absolutely amazing. The cake counter would make you miserable trying to eat one slice of the size cake they had but I would definitely take that challenge the next time I'm there. They were amazing looking cakes and pies. All in all I was not at all impressed with the salads we got and will never get them again but definitely will go back to try their other items because they looked amazing.

Service: 5.0 Ambiance: 2.5…read moreFood: 3.0 This is a great, simple, local diner. It reminds me of places where I grew up so there's a bit of a nostalgia factor for me. This place has breakfast and your meat and 2 (sides). I got the Big Alex breakfast: bacon, scrambled eggs, potatoes, and toast. It was good and I'd go back, for sure. For those without the nostalgia reference, I'm not sure what you'd think. It's not fancy and it's a very typical local southern family restaurant.

Fantastic family-centric diner with fast, friendly service and great food…read more This is the place locals visit for tasty food and cold drinks any time of day. The food comes out FAST and is perfect for those desiring a home cooked meal feeling.

Love this place! It is so cozy inside, it feels like you are sitting down for lunch at a friends…read morehouse. The food was homey and filling, perfectly melted brie on the sandwich and a hearty dollop of avocado into the soup! It is generally pretty busy in here during the lunch hour so be prepared for a full parking lot and a bit of hustle and bustle inside.

I am writing this review on behalf of my mom, as she has now returned twice after receiving a gift…read morecard for Five Loaves! She and her friend have loved returning and trying different menu items. They have enjoyed everything they have ordered. They have also found the environment to be much more pleasing during the quiet hours. Thank you to the Five Loaves management for being proactive and always working to satisfy their customers!

It's been a while since I've been to Alex's. It brought back nostalgia from years ago…read more Their service was great. Our waitress was super attentive and friendly. Our order came out really quick; even with a picky eater. The food was amazing! I added some jalapeño to give it a little kick. It was very filling.

Alex Restaurant is your tried and true neighborhood diner that provides a good meal and a…read morecomforting atmosphere. After working on a house painting project, we needed a break to enjoy a simple meal as we were. Upon entering there's a sign that reads wait to be seated. They offer pick-up and to-go orders so there's an organized setup. The menu is extensive - there's loads of options with breakfast lunch and dinner. Ruby was super kind, attentive, and offered good selections with the menu. My go-to at diners is either a tuna or beef patty melt so enjoyed my beefy patty melt..it had a good bit of onions and mayo. For my side I swapped the fries out for the salad. Best tip would be to go with their house made ranch dressing..it's delicious! I had the thousand island which isn't bad but upon trying the ranch wanted to drink it from how creamy and buttermilk-like it was haha my fiancé got the Philly cheesesteak and the meat and green peppers was dynamite! So good! The side fries weren't salty so appreciated that. Overall loved the comforting energy of the restaurant with an accepting atmosphere to come as you are and with an empty stomach looking to get nourished. I'll be back to try the pie!

A -very- simple but good diner. The restaurant is clean enough. Service is always great. The menu…read morehas good southern options at a reasonable price. You can't beat their self-serve unlimited coffee bar.

Best waffle in town with a great selection of hot coffee (and cold brew). I also enjoy the…read moreomelette, but due to their flat fried nature I consider them closer to frittatas.

If you're looking for the gold standard of brunch in Summerville, look no further than First Watch…read moreon North Main Street. This isn't just your typical "eggs and toast" diner; it's a full-on culinary experience that manages to feel both incredibly healthy and deeply indulgent at the exact same time. From the second you walk through the door, you're hit with the "Sun-Up" vibe--it's bright, airy, and smells like fresh-squeezed citrus and high-end coffee. We were greeted by a host who gave us a realistic wait time, but here is a pro tip: use their app to join the waitlist before you even leave your house. We did that and were whisked to a booth within five minutes of arriving. The Appetizer You Can't Skip We started with the Million Dollar Bacon, and let me tell you, the name is an understatement. It's four slices of hardwood smoked bacon baked with a brown sugar and black pepper crust, finished with a maple syrup drizzle. The way the cayenne pepper provides a tiny kick at the end to balance the sweetness is genius. It is thick, crispy, and honestly, I would come back just for a plate of that. The Main Event For the mains, our table tried a variety of dishes to see if the kitchen could handle the rush: Lemon Ricotta Pancakes: These are probably the fluffiest pancakes I've ever had. The ricotta adds a creamy richness without making them heavy, and the marinated berries on top were burst-in-your-mouth fresh. They didn't even need extra syrup. The Tri-Athlete Omelet: For those trying to stay on track with fitness goals, this is the move. It's an egg white omelet loaded with house-roasted onions, tomatoes, and cremini mushrooms. It felt light but was surprisingly filling. Farmhouse Hash: This is the ultimate comfort bowl. The potatoes were seasoned perfectly (not too salty), and the two over-easy eggs on top created a rich sauce that tied the whole thing together. The Juice Bar & Coffee You cannot visit First Watch without hitting the juice bar. We tried the Purple Haze--it's visually stunning with the butterfly pea flower, and the lemon/cane sugar combo is incredibly refreshing. Also, their Project Sunrise Coffee is some of the best "restaurant coffee" I've ever tasted. Knowing it supports female farmers in Colombia makes that second (and third) refill taste even better. Service & Atmosphere Despite the place being packed, the service was seamless. Our server, Justin, was a machine--he anticipated our refills before we even asked and knew the menu inside and out, even suggesting a side of the "Greens dressed with lemon" which was a perfect palate cleanser. The atmosphere is energetic but not so loud that you can't have a conversation. Whether you're a local or just passing through the 29483 area, this First Watch location is firing on all cylinders. It's clean, the ingredients are top-tier, and the menu is creative enough to keep you coming back week after week.

I'll admit, I'm not a huge breakfast person, especially when I'm trying to lose weight or keep it…read moreoff. Nope, about 4oz of berries and coffee with honey, creamer, turmeric, cinnamon and cayenne for me. Please note my listed concoction is extremely beneficial to the body, containing anti-inflammatory and antioxidants. Ok back to the point, I had the opportunity to meet a friend from church for lunch and I figured since I've never been to a First Watch in my life, to give it a try. The ride over at 11:15 on a Tuesday morning was easy, light on traffic with ample parking in a very safe section of town. I beat my comrade, for my Russian friends, to the restaurant as he was lagging a bit so the courteous wait staff promptly seated me. To be honest the franchise appears to have a forced hommy look to it. As if they're trying to be something you'd find on a winding country road where only the locals know about. To be honest, the ambiance is the lowest on my checklist, so depending on your perspective, that's a good thing. My hostess/waitress was asking me about my beverage before I was seated! I like this commitment to service. She even got me honey for my sweetener as I requested. Slow... slow golf clap from the audience. As I confessed before, I'm not a big breakfast person but I try to eat reasonable 90% of the time to stay "fit as a fiddle" (I'm curious where that analogy came from). While I could have enjoyed a great number of items, I opted for 1 Belgian waffle and 2 over easy eggs to go with my coffee. My skinny friend (grumble) got the Tri Fecta b/c.... well he's skinny! But as I recall it was about the same as my dish but with bacon. First off, my eggs were perfectly over easy - cooked 65% on one side the rest on the other with a very runny yolk, tasty! Now for the waffle, can we say "false advertising on 3?" Belgian waffles are thicker, have a "yiester" batter and pearl sugar. Plus, the "syrup traps" (all rights to Mitch Hedberg) are deeper while it has a crispier exterior and fluffier interior. In other words what I got was a deflated, defeated and structurally defunct piece of want to be abstract art, only something that a painter like Mark Rothko could appreciate (look him up). It was tasty but when I love waffles and have refrained for literal years I had my hopes set way to high. Anyways it was an average experience with only one syrup option! Oh I apologize for the pic, I was hungry and forgot to snap one before I destroyed it with my pitchfork. Overall, I don't want to nitpick too much but give constructive advice. So, the great -bacon, eggs, coffee, customer service, noise level and comfort. The average or slightly below average - the waffle (mislabeled) and ambiance via drab decor. If I were to come back, which isn't a reflection on the restaurant but my eating habits, I would opt for the eggs benedict as I make them all the time at home since homemade hollandaise sauce is easy and elevates any dish.

We went here after going to another nearby restaurant and waiting a long time for service. so glad…read morewe did! The server offered lemons when we ordered waters. Appreciate that I didn't have to ask. I had the She Crab Soup and it was wonderful. my husband had the chicken and waffles and said they were great. the shrimp and grits was not what I expected. more like Jumbalya and not with butter like I expected. Not my preference but my so. Liked it.

Hmmm. Not sure what to make of this place. I did just move here from New England and I like…read moresouthern food, but something about this place didn't do it for me... My husband and I came in for dinner and sat at the bar. We started with the cheese fritters & bacon jam. We initially thought the bacon jam was missing, but the fritters were great so we just kept eating them! When we got down to the last one, we both realized the "odd looking fritter" in the bowl that we were both avoiding, was the jam (oops!). It was a similar color and shape to the fritters but we both just laughed about avoiding it. For my entree, I was sold on the "award-winning" shrimp & grits that were featured on the Today show (as per their menu). Surprising that this meal made it that far as it didn't taste like anything special to me. It was not bad but very basic/plain; so basic that it felt like something was missing. It was the same case with my husband's meatloaf. However, I would still recommend checking this place out and deciding for yourself if you like it here ;)