Best of Citysearch
Recommend this business?
view & uploadphotos
- Neighborhoods:
- Gramercy Park, Midtown
- Categories:
- Restaurants
- Cuisine:
- New American, Central European, Italian
- Price:
- $$$
- Restaurant Special Features:
- Payment Methods:
View Less
At a Glance
?
91% ambiance
“This is a romantic place with lovely touches but very noisy and crowded.”
100% dessert
“The food was deplorable, sans the decent chocolate mousse dessert, and the lamb that everyone is in praise of was so overseasoned that it may have even been flank steak.”
81% drinks
“When I asked if we can be seated downstairs as all of the tables were empty and as the second floor was stuffy (the AC upstairs doesn't seem to work well), she insisted with the same big attitude that it was "cool" upstairs and that we can either sit up o”
90% food quality
“Our waitress was sweet but not too pushy and the food was just scrumptious.”
62% menu variety
“Well the second time around was even better - the service was impeccable, food was delicious and the wine selection was awesome.”
100% overall
“With good food, a wonderful location and such graceful ambience, we hope this place succeeds.”
100% return potential
“will never go back to The House nor recommend this place to anyone.”
62% service
“Lots of explaining at the end of the evening why their service was so slow, but they did nothing during the meal to manage customers expectations.”
83% value
“The food was good, but overpriced; the waiter needed to get a personality.”
30% wait time
“This only confirmed that it was not only us experiencing the slow service.”
Write a Tip for House
Tips for House
May 12, 2008
Over-priced, oily food, cacophonous tourist trap -- please hold the attitude and pass the service.
My girlfriend and I walked by this place on a Sunday afternoon. We checked out the menu, which sounded great (though a little pricey) and decided to come back to try it. Big mistake. Looks can be deceiving. Upon entering, we were immediately asked if we had a reservation (love that). I looked around, seeing that the place was empty and asked if they could still seat us. After we were sized up, we were taken to a cramped table in a bad location (love that too). Our waiter was remarkably rude and not only didn't know the menu and screwed up the order (when a customer says "gluten allergy", you listen), but was also condescending (oh, no bottled water, ok). The hits just kept on coming after that. When our apps came out and we thought they were small, you'd think our expectations would be set for the entrees. Nope. We've eaten at a ton of restaurants in the city and this place takes the cake for portion size. I think they must think the place is hip enough to attract anorectic models who don't like to eat anyway. Sorry, losers. In any case, the food was so saturated in oil and fat I guess we're lucky there wasn't much of it. They should serve it with a side of coronary stents. Anyway, our favorite part about the whole experience (other than leaving), was when out of nowhere, amateur hour starts up ending our ability to converse and digest our food. We skipped dessert and got the H out of there.
This place is a huge disaster. Do yourself a favour and steer clear.
(BTW - I'm betting that a number of these reviews are written by the staff or owner. See if this review is followed by several positive ones in quick succession.)
0
Heart
April 21, 2008
Wonderful, knowledgable service! Great Acoustic Band. My friend I happened to be passing by and heard amazing live music coming from this quaint location located right next to a beautiful flower shop, and we just had to walk in! It was so inviting...great staff...great wine list, and I especially loved that the staff was knowledgable of the wine list! Our server's name was Javier. Very intimate and courteous service. We were both very happy and left feeling like we were well treated. Food was exceptional...The music was by a band called "The Blue Vipers of Brooklyn". Song after song was great! I even ended up buying a cd. A great recommendation...for a place to get together with friends. I went Sunday night and will probably go again next Sunday. Thank you for a great treat!
0
Heart
April 18, 2008
Great atmosphere.This place is really charming.... Great atmosphere. This place is really enjoyable in all aspects, the quality of food and the service is excellent. The staff were really kind as I spilt my glass of wine and they offered me a new one free of charge. I brought my girlfriend, and she really enjoyed it. So guys if you are looking for a great place to hang out with your girl on a saturday night, the house is IT.
0
Heart
March 29, 2008
Terrible experience. Rude staff. We were so insulted we walked out to finish eating elsewhere..
Unbelievably rude. Two staff in particular showed an tremendous lack of courtesy (Javier and Jonathan. Was it because they don't like asian or white people?) 9:00 pm on a Tue night, 5 of us wanted to sit at a table for deserts and drinks. Three open tables downstairs, and the response was: "No. Dinner only.... sit at the bar" In and of itself, that was not horrible, and the bartender was excellent. However, 45 minutes later, we are still watching the three empty tables, eating a round of dessert, while another friend joins us. When we asked if they could pull up an EMPTY chair from an EMPTY table to sit with us at the bar, we were told: "No, she has to sit alone at the other end of the bar....." WHAT THE @#$?!?! "Can we sit at a table, since we are eating desserts."
"No." Excuse me? Our only option is to sit separately at a long bar?
YOU HAD THREE EMPTY TABLES ON A TUESDAY NIGHT AND PEOPLE WANTED TO EAT AND DRINK MORE.. JAVIER AND JONATHAN, HOW FOOLISH ARE YOU?
We walked out.
If they are as selective in whom they hire in the kitchen as whom they hire at the door, I would not be surprised to see people getting sick after eating here. If they have forgotten courtesy in a service industry, how good are they at simple things, like washing their hands after using the restroom. It would be very interesting to see the dept of health come and visit this place.
Javier and Jonathan, I hope you succeed in whatever your day jobs are, because as restaurant hosts, you are very bad, and bring about negative reviews to your employers.
0
Heart
March 03, 2008
Good food suffered from bad table. I was really looking forward to trying this restaurant after reading the reviews and looking at the menu online. When we arrived Saturday night, the downstairs, which is half bar/half tables was busy and loud. Happily we were taken upstairs where it is quieter (until the upstairs bar fills up). I was surprised to be seated at what I would call a pub table - very high, with bar-height seats. There seemed to be only one regular-height table for two upstairs. Until I was given a cushion, the table was too high for the chair (think of being six years old). Overall the server was gracious, and our food was good - my husband got the special steak and really liked it. My salad was very overdressed, but once I got it with the dressing on the side, it was better. Also, if you are not a fan of duck or olives - be warned, almost everything on the menu has one or the other. I don't think we'll go back - for me, if I am paying a lot for dinner (it's pricey), I don't want to be sitting in a highchair.
0
Heart
January 31, 2008
Noisy; with no room to spare. This is a romantic place with lovely touches but very noisy and crowded. We were seated in the most crowded spot by the bar; it was so noisy, I left with a headache. It was so crowded, one of the staff members accidentally elbowed me in the chest, without a mere "excuse me." The food was good, but overpriced; the waiter needed to get a personality. Finally, my ice came with something unidentifiable in it. Not impressed overall, I'm afraid.
0
Heart
January 16, 2008
Charming and Romantic. Charming and romantic restaurant. Wonderful for a date or to celebrate a wedding anniversary. Cozy with excellent wine selection and great fish selection. - Noga Rosenthal
0
Heart
October 29, 2007
Horrible Date Spot!. I read reviews about what a great date spot this restaurant is and it made my girlfriend and I laugh as we sat eating dinner there last Friday night. This is hands-down the loudest restaurant I have eaten at in the City to date. The acoustics of the upstairs dining room made every sound echo off the walls and the unruly patrons didn't make for an inviting romantic scene. The food was deplorable, sans the decent chocolate mousse dessert, and the lamb that everyone is in praise of was so overseasoned that it may have even been flank steak. I'm not sure. I feel lucky that I didn't go here for a first date. I couldn't hear my waiter as he read the specials, I can't imagine trying to listen as a date told me the finite details about her life! The wine bar on the ground floor was pretty hopping and I may try that sometime but definitely AVOID the restaurant!
0
Heart
October 18, 2007
Best date place.
A french first date took me there and i was very happily surprised. The atmosphere is charming and romantic but not cheesy. The wine selection blew my mind away and my date knew he had impressed me alright... Our waitress was sweet but not too pushy and the food was just scrumptious. It's definitely a great place to take a girl you actually want to have a conversation with (as opposed to those atrociously loud trendy places).
I'd love to go there again, with or without the cute french date!
0
Heart
October 04, 2007
Delicious food!!. Went with 6 friends and the service was great. Very friendly, warm and accommodating. Food was delicious and reasonably priced and the fireplace was a plus. recommended highly.
0
Heart
Write a Tip for House