Howard Station Cafe

This place was very welcoming with very tasty fresh food. I had the huevos rancheros and my husband had the south western omelet. Both were very delicious. We will definitely we back.

Recommended by my brother, niece & nephews. We enjoyed breakfast there on a morning when two of the kids were headed to the airport, so we needed to keep to a schedule. Once we go the server’s attention and let her know the situation, everything moved reasonably quickly.
So many tempting menu items. Plentiful portions. Fun /​funky atmosphere with emphasis on train memorabilia. Would love to return and spend more time when not in a rush.

Always enjoy a meal at Howard Station. Good patio seating — but get there early!

My favorite breakfast place! I love their waffles and mochas. They serve Taylor Maid coffee. They have wonderful egg dishes as well. My husband has eaten here for lunch and loved the fajita wrap he ordered. Besides the food, I think my most favorite thing about this place is its location and restaurant setting. It’s in a small town and the restaurant is old fashion/​antique-​y looking. Also, the servers are nice, as well as the owner. It’s family friendly and a pretty popular on the weekends. Make sure you take cash! They do have an ATM though.

This is by far the best breakfast place anywhere near Bodega Bay or Jenner. They serve great waffles and pancakes. They specialize in smoothies and other drinks. Every time we are in the area it is a must stop!

Such a cozy spot for brunch with incredibly friendly staff and delicious options. Huge menu with something for everyone! Ranges from gluten free coconut waffles to crab benedicts and healthy quinoa bowls.

Waffle (peaches and crème) = 5 stars, Great flavor and texture.
Croissant egg sandwhich = 2.5 stars, Quite bland and disappointing.
Coffee = not bad
Juice selection = :) Fresh, tasty concoctions at a non-​shocking price.
Expansive menu that could satisfy most cravings for any classic American bfast dish from waffles, omelettes, biscuits and gravy, omelettes, granola, etc, etc…
Cash only. Atm inside.

What can I say about this place? First, CASH ONLY. If you look in your wallet and find out that you don’t have any skrilla, don’t worry! There is an ATM in the back.
Howard Station Café is your typical breakfast place. We ordered:
1) Peaches and Cream Waffles: Amazing! 5 stars. One of the best waffles I’ve ever had.
2) Howard Station Breakfast Sandwich: 2.5 stars. Sadly, it was disappointing. It was bland and the sausage was slightly undercooked. However, the potatoes it came with, delicious!
3) Tina Louise Fresh Squeezed Juice: Loved it! Freshly squeezed and the ginger was apparent.
All in all, great breakfast place. Their menu is extensive and I’ve read many good things about their other items.

Great food, but takes cash only. The staff are very friendly and make you feel welcome. Not pretentious and stuffy, but down to earth. All kinds of different food and drink to get you going!

Cannot say enough about this place. Cash only!!! So bring the $$.
The omelet was amazing!!! I made my own with feta and other veggies. Delicious! Coffee was bold and strong. Juices are fresh squeezed. Fresh toast has a little orange flavor made with zest.
I didn’t eat their cookies but they looked amazing. The history of the town is all over the walls in photographs etc…
The best part of this place is that it’s still family run. You can tell they take a lot of pride in preserving the history of their amazing town. Must go see Occidental and HOWARDS for sure.

For the only breakfast spot in town it doesn’t disappoint! Always a wait for a table but usually goes by fast. The waitstaff seems to change frequently and is never quite up to par. I can never seem to figure out if this is because they are new, have too many tables or are just overwhelmed by how packed in the place always is. If I could scoot my chair back at all in any table here I would give it another star.
The coffee they serve is Taylor Maid and it is always fresh and delicious! The juice takes a long time to get to your table. Sometimes after your food. But it is fresh squeezed and very yummy (unless you are my eight year old daughter who just wanted a «regular» old apple juice).
I love the waffles and French toast but will sometimes opt for the corned beef hash which is out of this world amazing! There are not many places that will makes their corned beef hash fresh and not out of the can. I was slightly confused the first time I saw it without its mushy can appearance.
If you lower your standards on the wait, servers and crowed atmosphere you will surely enjoy this breakfast spot. Certainly a tourist favorite but also something every local enjoys… Especially when it isn’t too crowded or if it is bicycle off season!

Whoa, quinoa bowl was amazing. I’ve tried something like it a hundred times at home without coming close to this masterpiece. Veggie Benedict was really good. Juice to start and lattes to go. Thank you very much Howard Station!!!

I lived in this County for more than a decade and have not tried this historical place until my special day.
For birthday breakfast I ordered the smoked salmon omelette with a side of biscuit and gravy on the side. Happy birthday to me. I don’t need cake anymore. I was a satisfied birthday gal
Cash only is an old-​fashioned tradition. I like that.

Update. Went to Howard’s for breakfast yesterday and boy am I glad I gave this place another shot. I ordered the corned beef hash and wow! Delicious. I also sampled a few other items that were ordered by our group and they were all really good and the coffee was nice and hot. Our waitress was super friendly and even held my 8 month old daughter :) my previous experience was definitely a fluke. I am sure to return for another delicious breakfast!

The theme is traditional railroad station with trains all throughout. It’s a cozy little café that takes cash only but I was okay with it. I needed something in my stomach before I headed to a wedding down the street so I opted for their zucchini soup with a biscuit. I LOVED their zucchini soup and although I shouldn’t of had their biscuit, it was sooooo good.
The charm of this café sold me. It’s a MUST do to come back on a little get-​a-​way to try their other items.

OMG, this place is amazing! First off the curb appeal is just darling. It is an old building with a story to tell, look at the old photos scattered around the room. My son and I went on a Monday morning and it was busy, but we got a table.
What we ordered: I had the veggie scramble and it was so good. It came with big tasty potatoes and a cute heart biscuit which was moist and yummy! I had to order some pancakes of course but could not decide. So I ordered one of the walnut banana and one cornmeal blueberry. Both were good, but the walnut banana was by far my favorite. You have to try it! If for whatever reason you find yourself in this charming little town YOU MUST GO HERE! I only wish it was closer to me.

I’m all about good breakfast food, and totally willing to make a far drive to a delicious café. Howard’s got it all.
Environment: 4
Ambience: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Pet friendliness: 5
This place is so good that it can be crowded during their breakfast serving time, which is from 7am –12:30pm. I am not a fan of too many people crowding a restaurant so I suggest coming either very early or around 11:00am. I once came at 12:20pm and I felt that the breakfast was put together quickly because they had to get ready for lunch ingredients at 12:30pm. Normally they take their time cooking and making your breakfast look amazing, so be warned that the closer to the end of breakfast serving time, the quicker your mea is put together. Now that’s not saying their food doesn’t taste good, but they may run low on fresh breakfast ingredients closer to the end of breakfast serving time. Like the saying goes: the early birds get the worms.
Drinks: The first thing I order before anything else is their fresh squeezed orange juice. This is my favorite, and the pulp tastes so good! They have other drinks like hot coffee, tea, and other organic fresh blended smoothies. The variety is endless and they have daily specials behind the counter on their chalkboard.
Food: the biggest breakfast variety ever! From burritos, to omelettes, to regular hot dishes, to vegetarian breakfasts, etc. I normally order their two eggs, this comes with: two eggs (cooked however you like), toast (whatever bread you want, you can even pick two kinds since they give you two slices) served with their fresh organic homemade fruit preserve, meat of your choice (ham, bacon or sausage –I love how perfectly crispy the bacon is), and their potatoes (it’s to die for if you love seasoned potato). Just reviewing and explaining my experience and food is making me salivate!
Pet friendly: I recently discover that they have a doggy menu! Howard’s allow pets on the outdoor seating, and to keep your dog occupied while you enjoy their amazing food, they accommodate dogs too. We ordered the frozen kong filled with peanut butter for my dog, and he was enjoying it quietly like a good boy! Check out my photo for their doggy menu.
Environment: love how it gives me that breakfast diner feel, but sometimes it can be a little too loud when crowded.
Service: waitresses I’ve had provide excellent services! They make sure you always have something to drink and offer refills when you’re low, they make sure you have all your sauces (ketchup, hot sauce, salsa verde, etc) for your meals, and they know when to back off when you’re eating — this is a bonus point for me because I hate when I’m in mid bite of something, and someone comes to ask «how’s everything»
If you’re in the area, eat here! You won’t regret it, and like me you’ll always want to pay them a visit when you’re in town!

Very nice organic juices and waffles!
We liked the service (joy?) and the sunlit atmosphere. :)
Lots of comfort and love here.
Good work, guys!

This was one of the BEST breakfasts I’ve ever had… EVER!
The best way to explore any new town is to experience the FOOD there. Am I wrong?
This is the type of restaurant you’d find in Portland or even in Los Angeles. Why? It’s all about errrthang organic, healthy and modern!
I ordered one of their specials: Organic Quinoa Kale Bowl. Comes with organic quinoa, kale, roasted zucchini, your choice of eggs any style, avocado and tahini sauce. It’s basically a bowl of healthy-​heavenly goodness!
They also have a juice bar here and apparently some of the best ice cream in the area.
The bf decides to order me one of their crazy cleansing health shots which was like carrot juice, garlic, cayenne pepper and lemon. I sure felt «cleansed» after that guy went down my throat for sure.
Of course we left with a goody in a paper bag too because they also have an amazing selection of pastries, cake and cookies at the front counter.
I’d drive all the way back to Occidental just to eat here again. That’s how BOMB it was.
p. s. It’s CASH ONLY.

Short version — We liked our breakfast experience and we will definitely return some day.
Long version — We were staying right across the street from this café and had planned on breakfast at award winning Howard Station as part of our trip.
A dense damp fog engulfed Occidental this morning. Coffee would be welcomed to help cut the slight chill on this summer morning.
The building is ancient. The tables and chairs thankfully are not. Though the room is large with high ceilings the tables are pretty much crammed together making somewhat cozy.
We grabbed some menus and seated ourselves but no one seemed to mind. We had expected a crowd but there were only a few tables occupied at 7:30 on a Saturday.
Our server was pleasant and it seemed she expected us to have our decisions made immediately. This menu demanded a little more time.
I went for the Serious Sausage Special, opting for the chicken apple sausage. One of the eggs was broken, the biscuit was dry and the veggie mix on top of the sausage was kind of cooked out. The grilled potatoes were exquisite.
My wife had two eggs and potatoes. Loved the potatoes, disliked the dry biscuit.
Our son had the Station Special with pancake option. He loved the pancakes and shared bites around. We could not identify the source of the unique texture. It was really unusual and very good. Quality maple syrup and butter put the pancakes in the all star camp.
If I had to rate this café on the biscuits and gravy it would rate very low. The gravy is tragically bland.
It’s shame.
We liked the coffee, we liked the setting and we especially liked watching the barista behind the bakery counter working her machines. She made a lot of noise but no one seemed to mind the grinding and steaming noises emanating from her station.
We paid (cash only) and I can’t say we paid too much. Even though the food was not great we enjoyed the meal experience. As we stepped off the semi-​rickety wooded boardwalk (and rail less stairs) we found ourselves in the parking lot looking across the street into redwood trees on the hill shrouded in the still dense fog. We were truly dining in a redwood forest.
We checked out of our hotel an hour later and noticed a line of folks standing in the fog waiting for their breakfast in the redwoods.