Harry & Buds European Cuisine

Few places capture the essence of home cooked meal like this establishment. I was blown away with the food, atmosphere, customer service, and decor. You feel as if you are in your grandma's home, that warm and inviting feeling of love...oh and the food! Please, do yourself a favor and experience this for yourself! You will leave full, with leftovers! Conversation alone was worth it! I have to go back!

Fear should not merit quality.Whether or not the rumors of this business were true, this place is a unique business. I was told that there is no sign(true), little ambiance(true), that the owner was mean(I didn't get that), and that it was a once-in-lifetime-experience. I heard stories that if you didn't tip well enough, the chef (who was also the waiter and host) would black list you and ask you not to return. If you were negatively critical of his food/business, you would also not be allowed to return. This wasn't from one person I heard this from, but many.I really hope my review does not merit the same.What you will get from this place is a talented chef and an insane amount of food. You get many many dishes, cheese plates, and a dessert; so much so, even the scraps in the pan or the pot are given as leftovers.You also do not pick your food. You are cooked what the chef feels like cooking. He does ask if you have any preferences prior to your arrival. There was bottled water available, unless you decided to bring your own.The food was good. I will not mince words in that the spices used from the turkey, to the beef, to the fish were so similar I felt like I was eating the same thing. But, that does not mean it was bad.Ultimately, we spent so much per plate I left unsatisfied. I sat prior and during service, so uncomfortable that I was going to say or do something to offend the chef that I would kick my friends out. I was worried I wouldn't tip enough. I was worried I wouldn't eat enough to make him happy. It wasn't until after I had paid and left did I feel normal. It shouldn't be like that to enjoy food, people shouldn't feel uncomfortable eating and spending their money. I don't care if it's Gordon Ramsay or Mario Batalli (ok, maybe I would be nervous around him), you shouldn't let a business's reputation make you feel inadequate.

I've been looking forward to tonight's meal for the last month when I was able to secure my reservation after a coworker celebrated his anniversary here and raved for weeks about how amazing this place was. I had to check it out for myself, so I grabbed a couple of people and we headed to Terre Haute to check out Harry & Buds European Cuisine.This isn't your normal restaurant. You can't just walk in.. you have to have a reservation. If you have a reservation for an evening, you'll be the only group there. It's a small place that can hold about 10 people max, and there's one person working. Jeffrey is the cook, the server, the bus-boy and the host. Again.. if you don't have a reservation, don't try and come or you'll be turned away. Seriously. Don't.If you are lucky enough to snag a reservation, be prepared for the one of the best meals you'll ever eat. I get around (the food circuit) and this place ranks, hands down, in the top 5 best meals I've ever had. We arrived at 5pm wide eyes and ready for a great evening. When we left at 8pm, we had eaten so much delicious food that we were almost miserable. I'm sure I'll miss some of our food, but here goes my best effort to capture everything that came out family style:BreadSplit Pea SoupPork Roast with homemade gnocchiTrout with homemade pasta, Brussel sprouts and beansLambBanana Bread (2 loaves)Wild Caught Gulf Shrimp in a curry rub with cauliflowerBeef tenderloin with tomatoes and a wedge of stiltonQuiche with bacon and 2 blocks of GruyereA whole roasted chicken stuffed with garlic on a bed of fresh pastaSea scallopsCorn CroquettesFresh pasta Dessert: biscotti with a chocolate ganache and blackberriesAll of this was for 5 people. When we asked what he would do if 10 people came.. Jeffrey simply said "I'd make more food." We each walked out with at least three Styrofoam containers.Everything is cooked specifically for you, and is made fresh that day. You don't get to pick the menu.. instead the food is selected for you based on what's fresh and available that day. You won't find a bunch of frozen items sitting around here. Staple items like flour and spices are about the only items that are kept on hand - everything else was bought that day with you in mind. How awesome is that knowing that the meal you're eating was made just for you with ingredients bought earlier that day?Everything that we ate was delicious and prepared perfectly. The spices were spot on. The beef tenderloin was a perfect medium rare and the pork flavorful and the shrimp coated in just enough curry to detect the taste but not to much that it was overpowering. What Jeffrey brushes off as "just food" is a fantastic feast that is meant to be shared over a glass of wine and laughter with friends and family That is exactly what we had. I only wish I could have counted correctly in my head when I made the reservation and had more of my dear friends come.It's almost impossible to imagine one person cooking in a kitchen doing all of the prep work, all of the cooking, and all of the cleanup. All of this food, and he had it all times perfectly. Not only can he cook, but he's amazing at time management and timing everything perfectly.Here's the kicker.. the meal was $35 per person. I have no idea how this even covers the cost of the food, but that was the price. Cash only. Leave it on the table. Seriously folks.. if I had but one 10 star review I could give out to a business, it would go to Harry & Bud's. They don't advertise and seem to be against any type of mass advertising.. so all I can do, my dear Yelp friends, is tell you that you've got to try this place. You absolutely have to. Just wear loose clothes and plan to make an evening out of it. Grab a couple bottles of wine and block your calendar, and enjoy!

A fabulous Gargantuesque feast! We had a great time enjoying. Come hungry because the amount of food is enormous. All was tasty, wonderfully imaginative and feels like you are somewhere in a european village with a special food place. The atmosphere is really special almost cafe style european and low key.

The most overwhelming yet delectable meal of my life! We were in a private group of 20. The appointment had to be made months ahead by the husband of the birthday girl. Beef medallions, sockeye salmon, sea scallops, shrimp with black beans, blintz and brie, mac & cheese, the food just kept coming!!! Quiche, and meatballs, and pork tenderloins, another shrimp dish. (Did I say overwhelming?) The homemade bread was so good, too. All was served family style. There is no menu - instead, the chef simply asks at the time of reservation if anyone has food allergies. That was just the main course. Dessert(s) were a repeat of ridiculous volume so dreamy! Banana bread, fruit and cream, pound cake with chocolate ganache, sour cream cake. It was all just so good! I can't stop raving about the magnificent variety and culinary acumen of the owner!

It was easily the best meal I've ever had and the owner/chef couldn't have been any nicer. He made sure my wife had separate gluten free dishes as best be could. We all ate until we were sick and can't wait to go back. Make sure to call months in advance to get your reservation...you will not be disappointed!

This was the best food experience I have had in my entire life. Not even close. So much flavor and the variety just keeps coming. I am speechless as to explain the taste, presentation and experience. I will be back.

Good call by other reviewers. I was traveling to Terre Haute on business and wanted a healthier choice for a lunch. Adventure is definitely the key word here. Because i did a little research, I got the impression that this wasn't a normal "look at the menu and order" type of place and I was correct, very correct.Basically, it was like I dropped in on a friend and sat in his kitchen while he prepared a feast for me. I think his first words to me were, " How about something invoving salmon for your appetizer?" Sounds great!", I respond and we're off !I had a delicious split pea soup with a potatoe/lentil? mixture resting on a bed of fresh arugula on the plate around the soup. Delicious! And for some people I know that would have been enough for lunch right there. Next came the appetizer he had hinted at, but it wasn't an appetizer, it was two generous portions of salmon filets on top of a pureed eggplant concoction, absolutley delicious - perfect combination of flavors, acccompamied by brussel sprouts and whole mushrooms, and a delicious loaf of fresh bread with a tasty brushetta type topping to heap on it.Unbelievably, he drops down the main course almost at the same time and I know there's just no way, and I'm a huge eater. The main course came with me to go, but first I sampled one of the crepes involved. Absolutely melt in your mouth delicate texture (homemade of course) filled with a flavor- filled shredded beef, corn, and I can't remember what else, but it was fantastic. Again no shortage of vegetables as the crepes were joined by some nice asparagus. Oh, and a huge block of cheese. Only problem was, he offered me dessert bit I couldn't fathom fitting it in. I can't imagine what he would have brought out, but I'm sure I'd have liked it.In summary: bizzare, unique concept of a restaurant, delicious, highly inventive, highly flavorful food, only twenty dollars for enough food to feed some for a week, unique proprietor, who I found to be very kind and entertaining. My first 5 star review, thanks Jeffrey.

Great food at a good price. If you into this food try it out. I'm sure you will like it..From: TimC..

This was by far the most unique experience ever! We went with 8 other friends and were blown away by the portion sizes and quality of the food. Everything was delicious. Everything. It is VERY hard to get reservations to this place, but once you do, you and your guests will be blown away. You will be the only customers there. It is a one man show, but so efficient and flawless you would never know. Be prepared to be stuffed and ready for left overs. We left with 36 FULL containers of food. Be prepared to be wowed.