Howie’s Pub

Looks shady from the outside– really clean and friendly inside– definitely a nice, casual neighborhood bar.

Great bar. Great atmosphere. Killer whoopie pies! Be there or be square. Believe me you will not be disappointed. The beer flows like the river Nile and the wings taste like a piece of heaven. Tuesday Trivia is always fun!

At Howie’s the beers are cold and the trivia is hot. There’s bogo pizza on Mondays and I guarantee you’ll be 50% satisfied with each pizza, thus you will leave 100% fulfilled. Tuesday is trivia night and that shit is difficult; if you get more than 23% of the questions correct, let me know and I’ll drop off your Mensa application. Food and drink prices have 85 degrees of chill and won’t break the bank, the whoopie pies are ¼ the size of a standard whoopie, but leave you wanting naught. I spend (literally) 28.5% of my evenings here and only regret it .003% of the time.

This place was great! Truly a dive bar in all senses of the word
Service was friendly but slow. There was literally one person tending the whole bar, tables included. Even with all this stress, she was very pleasant, sociable, and was always on the move, literally serving the entire establishment. Despite the slow service, I can’t dock this place too much for it. Unfortunately, Howie was not there when I went, but I am told he is a great man.
I was there for 2 for 1 Pizza Monday. The pizzas were about 12″-14″, and started at $ 6 plus $ 0.50 for each topping. This Monday deal is a steal, and after looking at the menu and drink prices, this whole place seems like a steal. Pizzas were solid and a good step above frozen quality. The Howie’s Red (by Geary’s) is amazing. Flavorful and very drinkable.
Parking was a bit of a mess though. We parked at Veranda Thai (to which we found out in a sign in the bathroom that our car would be towed if we parked there; it wasn’t). There is some limited street parking (which always seems to be full). Parking is can be a real mess at certain hours.
I’m told Trivia Tuesday’s here is a blast. Despite the slow service and horrendous parking, I would definitely come back to this place.

For me Howie’s Pub is five stars… all the way. I consider myself a connoisseur of dive bars. Although, you may think that’s an oxymoronic statement, I think if you’ve traveled to enough dirty bars throughout this country to get a sense of a «good» dive bar and «bad» dive bar, then, you too, are a connoisseur.
Howie’s has it all, cheap food that’s made with love, an owner who cares about keeping his place authentic, all-​night-​long cheap cocktails, beer, and well drinks.
The other thing I love about this bar is that it is so close to downtown Portland and (cross my fingers that it stays this way) it doesn’t have even one element of a hipster vibe. It’s old-​school Portland at its best. Hard-​working people stopping in for beers and food after a long day. I love it!
Howie, the owner is there frequently, and doesn’t put up with any crap. He creates his own trivia on Tuesday nights which packs the house.
Don’t even get me started on the drinks. Cocktails are about $ 4 to 6, on the high-​end. They have landshark and Michelob Ultra cans for two dollars, all the time. It’s cash only, but there’s an ATM inside.
The one thing that you need to be aware of is the parking situation. This place looks like it is located on a walk up area just off the 295 exit, which it is. To park you need to go around to one of the back streets and walk in through the back entrance. This is what kept me from this bar for so many years before I had a friend say, «Hey, let’s meet at Howie’s!» I quickly replied, «How do you get in that bar?» And then I learned the secret of the back entrance.
So please, don’t tell all your friends about Howie’s. Keep it a little bit of a secret, because that is the only way this place can stay as «Portland» as it is.

I love it here. I really, really do. As I get older, I prefer my bars to be quieter, cheaper and much more chill. Howie’s fits the bill on all accounts. It’s off the beaten path on the edge of Veranda and Washington Ave and hidden in the back of a parking lot. It definitely has an older clientele and the place is spacious enough that you aren’t bumping into someone at every turn. There is no loud music so you can actually sit at the huge bar and have a conversation. What?! You can talk to friends?! Shocking.
On to the beers. Cheap? Yes. Good selection? For the most part. I love the fact that I can come in and get $ 2 Shock Tops or even a $ 3 Howie’s Red. That’s a good price for me. Keep in mind that they are cash only. There are no signs anywhere in the bar to let you know that, so if you’re like me, you’ll learn that the hard way. There is an ATM right inside the bar but be prepared to get charged a fee.
I haven’t tried much of the food except for the pizza. It’s $ 6 for a roughly 10″ pizza which isn’t a bad deal at all. In my mind, I directly compared it to Samuel’s pizza and found a lot of similarities. The one key difference is the crust: it’s puffier and more doughy which can be a nice change from thinner crusts. The toppings are pretty basic. You won’t find any wild combinations or specialty pizzas here, but then again Howie’s is known for keeping things simple. I’ve heard some great things about the pickle pizza which looks strange, but tasty.
The only night it gets super crazy is Tuesday’s right around 6:30pm. Howie’s does trivia on Tuesday nights and it’s super competitive and there are a ton of teams. If you’re looking for a bar to just hang out in and have a drink, I would avoid Howie’s on Tuesdays. Almost 100% of the people are there to play trivia and Howie himself will not tolerate people who talk while he’s reading off the questions. The best part about this trivia is that it ends at a good time. There are other trivia nights that drag on and you end up getting home at 11pm. Not here! Trivia begins promptly at 6:30 and ends right around 8:15 or 8:30pm. It’s real nice.
The best part of Howie’s Pub is of course the owner, Howie. He is a wonderful guy who really cares about his patrons. Whenever I come in for trivia, he’s always doing his best to find us a place to sit. I feel like he knows everyone by name or face and greets people warmly as they come in. He’s also very feisty and will reprimand people for talking during trivia or calming down a rowdy trivia team. It’s always done in a friendly way and you can really tell that the people love and respect him.

Howie’s is fantastic. Friendly locals (not always a given in Maine), inexpensive (but loaded) drinks, great bar staff and a true community bar, completely disconnected from the rest of Portland.
Oddly enough, I went last night with a friend to get a drink from his mom, bar tender for the night. She’s a close family friend but I’ll put my bias aside.
Even if we weren’t like family– she would have made me feel that way. In fact, she made everyone feel like family, which is a great quality for a bartender. Her other great quality would be the fact that she made my mixed drinks so GOOD.
She said she had a Mojito special (which I jumped on, my last Mojito was in Finland and was awful. Boo Finnish Mojito.) so I jumped on that, but she didn’t tell me until after that it wasn’t a BAR special, but a PERSONAL special. She picked the mint from her personal garden. And boy was it delicious.
I also had a blueberry stoli/​tonic/​orange and it was equally good. Decent Vodka and alcoholic enough that twos the limit for this heavy weight.
I also sampled Red, Howie’s specialty beer made by Geary’s Brewing (also local). Smooth and delectable, just a little bit hoppy. Great for all seasons.
Everytime I’m in town (or having a lads night) I will be here. This is the epitome of local and it’s a great place to relax after work or while the night is young.

Howie’s is a cash bar in a supremely bizarre location where you will probably be laughed at if u walk in the front door, so if that’s not ur thing, ignore my five star review and head somewhere else.
This bar is typically very lowkey. Usually I come here hoping to catch the Oklahoma City game, but it’s not on any of the tvs and then the owner sits down at my booth and watches shark tank with me and my buddy. It’s a bar where it’s impossible to be alone, but their PBR pints are 2 bucks and it’s the most overwhelmingly welcoming bar in town. Don’t come here to break up with your partner, but do come here if you’re ready to be charmed and befriended by an entire bar.
Also their french fry portions are extremely generous which makes drunk snacking easy.

Howies is so inconveniently located for most of Portland but for us here in the Veranda and Washington Ave area it can’t be close enough.
First the good: The beer section is perfect, something for everyone. From PBR to Guinness. He even has his own name brand red ale (my go to)
The food is better than most pubs like this one. The portions are great. prices are great and they have a 2 for 1 pizza on Monday night. (you must eat it here)
They have a full service bar and the place is cash only but they do have an ATM but you will pay $ 3 for the privilege of a withdrawal from this machine. .
Now the bad: not a damn thing ! Check it out for yourself !

Howie’s by far is my favorite small town bar. The pizza is amazing, the crowd is familiar and the atmosphere is very relaxed. Love this place

I’m writing this from the bar now, enjoying a three dollar pint of Shed’s IPA. Howie always has a a good selection of beer — ranging from PBR to Guinness to whatever craft offering is on special for the month — at great prices. The catch is he doesn’t take plastic, but there is an ATM next to the jukebox. Good food and food specials, too.
This a neighborhood bar, frequented by people who live within walking distance or grew up within walking distance and keep coming back. That’s what gives it a good feel if you’re looking to expand your neighborhood. That and Howie’s hospitality. If you don’t know what to talk to him about, just ask him about rugby.
I just wish he could get Elmore Twist back to play there, but I blame the city for that.

I love howies! This is a judgment free zone dive bar that has great beers darts and very friendly atmosphere. This is well worth taking exit 8 on Washington Avenue and walking around the highway to get here.

I am a huge fan of neighborhood (read: dive) bars. In general, if it’s a small, cozy place that has a list of faithful regulars, I consider it a dive bar. No disrespect or derogatory intention; dive simply means a smallish, no frills establishment where people are on a first name basis with the bartenders, owners and other patrons.
Both the owner and bartender were welcoming and friendly. I enjoyed the drinks (very well made), the atmosphere (the music was like a trip down memory lane and the volume of the room wasn’t too loud, so I could converse with my friend). The prices were great. There is a small menu, though I did not order food.
If you’re looking for a friendly, relaxed place to grab a drink with friends without having to dress up or drop the contents of your wallet, Howie’s is it.

Last night I made my second trip to Howie’s Pub since about a year before. My goal: find a bar within close proximity of Portland that had the same «neighborhood» bar feel as what I used to experience in Philly and that wouldn’t break the bank.
Interestingly, I found out about Howie’s Pub by doing a Unilocal search for «dive bars». This establishment is small to moderately sized and has free parking located in the back. Food and drink are very reasonably priced ($ 6 for a homemade 10″ pizza, $ 2 Shocktop 16 oz pounders, and $ 3.25 shots of whiskey!).
I was most pleased with the level of courtesy and friendliness witch which my friends and I were greeted. I will definitely be going back!
(as an additional note: the prices have gone up a little since the menu photo was published to Unilocal… but things are still very reasonably priced!)

Ok, if you are looking for a good time at a local neighborhood dive kind of place, then Howie’s Pub is for you.
It is very hard to see right at the end of Washington Ave as you are getting on the highway off of Veranda.
You should enter in through the back door then walk down some pretty steep stairs into a dining area/​bar that has about 4 booths and two high tables. With the tacky décor of two dart boards and a jukebox that plays a bit too loudly with the sounds of Def Leppard and White Lion depending on the crowd that is frequenting it the night you stop in.
The beer is cold and they have a pretty good selection and they even have a quite extensive small dive bar menu riddled with cheeseburgers, wings and onion rings.
I love the charm of little places that have some shady characters and has the feel of a small biker bar on some nights and other nights some college kids out for the night and not heading all the way to the Old Port.
DOes not accept credit cards. just cash but has one of those ATMs that rob you of 5 dollars in fees to pull money that is yours so I would recommend bringing cash.
Give this little place a chance and be open minded a bit and it may grow on you.

Great local bar, cheap beer, nice staff and good food! Howie is a great guy and the simple atmosphere it nice. Nothing fancy or flashy about this place, but it’s a great hangout with fun people.

Howie’s
My vote for Portland’s best neighborhood pub, certainly best pub ever for East Deering.
Howie’s is a place that can adapt to to the purpose of your visit with a range of seating and food options. Strong beer selection at reasonable prices, lot less than what you pay in the Old Port.
Nice place to meet friends, watch sports, study or just chill before going home.
I sat at the bar and chatted with Howie Chadbourne, the owner. Howie is a Portland native with ties to many Portlanders. Great resource for connecting with local friends.
Convenient location to rest of Portland, just across Tukeys Bridge. Corner of Washington and Veranda. Lot of parking within a short walk.
You might have to search for minute to find the door but I guarantee you will find it and have one of those «ah ha» moments. When you are inside, you appreciate the uniqueness of the location. For old-​timers, this is the location of the famed «Yogi’s Den.»
Nice collection of small restaurants and food establishments on this part of Veranda Street. Foodie-​wise, this seems to be an upcoming neighborhood. Check it out.

Hard to find, yet very easy to stay for a long time. The pickle pizza was surprisingly good too. Yeah, pickle pizza.

Definitely a «locals» bar.
Friendly staff, good prices.
Owner on site. Worth a shot.

I have been going to Howies for about 4 years. It is my favorite bar because of it’s low key atmosphere, cheap, icy cold beer, and strong drinks. They also serve the best pizza in town for super cheap. A 10″ cheese pizza is just $ 5.75 and it’s 2 for 1 pizza night on Mondays. Happy hour domestic bottles are $ 1.75 and just $ 2.25 the rest of the time. The drinks are made super strong and they only cost about $ 5, depending on what you order. The bartenders are fun and easy to talk to. Howie is always around and he is a great guy. This is a very local, down to earth bar and it’s definitely worth checking out! If you live in the east deering area, it will be tough for you NOT to become a regular!
There are 2 dart boards and anyone is allowed to use the house darts. There is also a juke box, a big buck hunter game and a couple other bar games in there. Although the place does not take credit cards, there is an ATM machine right inside. It’s better to just bring cash though because the machine charges $ 3.