Houseman
Houseman
Famous French fries
Bread with Green Garlic Butter
amuse bouche; honey butter biscuit
drink
"Lunch Burger"
Interior
Exterior
Cauliflower.
Maitake with broccoli.
Bread with ramp butter.
a menu for a restaurant on a wooden table
Mixed Beans
Steak and Fries
Greek Salad
Mushroom and tofu skin pie
Omelette, Houseman Burger
Roast Chicken
Steak frites and Lamb Sausage
Roast Chicken Balti.
Brunch burger
Chilaquiles
Steak and Fries, Lamb Sausage
Roasted Baby Carrots, Labneh.
food
Andrew M.
Sep 21, 2024
My friend and I walked into Houseman at 6:15pm on a Friday with no reservation. There were 5 open seats at the bar and half the tables were free. The hostess was very nice and offered to sit us either at an outside or inside table but cautioned that we'd only have until 7:30 (because of other reservations) to dine, or said we could sit at the bar which had no time restrictions. So we opted for the bar knowing we usually get dinner and a few drinks.My friend got the halibut special and cocktail and I got the steak frites and a beer. We also shared an appetizer. My dish was wonderful; the hangar steak was perfectly cooked and seasoned and the French fries were exceptionally crispy.We proceeded to have 2 more glasses of wine while having a nice conversation at the bar. I wish this review ended here which would have been a 5 star experience. Around 8pm, in the middle of the 2nd glass of wine, the bartender slides the check in front of us without a word. We were a bit confused and said oh...I guess that's our cue to leave? The bartender seemed a bit taken aback and said oh sorry, did you want to order more? As we were debating whether to answer, a gentleman who ended up being the manager, Mac, swoops in behind us and exclaims that we're taking up spots of people waiting outside who want to dine and that this is the only place people can get Houseman's food but that we can get drinks anywhere.Still a bit shocked we said ok understood, quickly paid our nearly $300 bill (leaving a 20% tip), and left as the bartender and hostess seemed uneasy about the whole thing, almost as if they knew what just happened was not ok.Outside, conversing on the sidewalk about what just happened, we still felt odd about the interaction and opted to go back to share some feedback with Mac, hoping it was some misunderstanding or miscommunication. We asked to speak with him outside so it would be quiet and discreet.We explained that it was a very awkward and embarassing way of asking us to leave and the immediate defensive explanation from him was something we'd never experienced before. Typically the manager would gently explain the situation and ask if there's anything else you want which is essentially a nice way of saying please leave. Sometimes they even offer you to stand at the bar, and classy places will even offer you a round of drinks to vacate the table (note - we had no expectation or desire for free drinks). Hell, if Mac just came up and said "hey there are 2 people who are ready to sit and eat and spend more money than you" I probably would have laughed and been ok with that.Mac was defensive the entire conversation. He went on to reiterate that we were taking up space that their "regulars" were waiting to dine at. I attempted to defuse, telling him I get it and that it's all business and not personal. He balked and said it wasn't about business or money at all and he wanted to make as many people happy as possible serving Houseman's food. I mentioned that in making two people happy sitting them, he made 2 people unhappy unceremoniously kicking them out. He shrugged. Sensing we weren't really getting anywhere, we explained that we just wanted to provide constructive feedback for future interactions with guests, and he immediately shot back that he's been doing this a long time, he knows what he's doing, and most guests "have the self-awareness" to know when to leave. Mind you, we weren't nursing 1 app and 1 drink, we were continuing to order drinks after dinner which at ANY restaurant gives you unspoken permission to keep a walk-in bar seat.We also mentioned how we were told the bar did not have a time limit. This would have been easy for Mac to say sorry you were told that but that's not the case, but he kept being defensive and essentially put the blame back on us for not 'knowing' we couldn't keep handing them $20 for glasses of wine. Finally, I said that we had a lovely time and we just wanted to provide feedback and it did not seem that he was receiving what we were sharing. He immediately responded that he "did not have to receive what we say and he knows he's not in the wrong here." Again completely missing the point that it's not about right or wrong, but the manner in which we were asked to leave.I'm glad we spoke with Mac because it just reconfirmed that the poor experience we had was not a miscommunication or misinterpretation of the interaction but a systemic way Mac the manager is running the restaurant.I'm sad to leave this review, because it was a nice night with good food and drinks up until that moment. I rarely if ever leave 1-star reviews but I felt compelled after this really poor experience with Mac, a manager whose self-anointed experience is not in sync with how he engages guests. Perhaps the talk about accommodating neighborhood "regulars" was coded language and I can read between the lines, but Mac does not have to worry about me returning to Houseman.
Read More
Katherine Z.
Jan 20, 2025
Cute little brunch spot that isn't super busy! They gave us complimentary sweet loaf at the beginning which was delightful, and the flavours in the dishes were thoughtful and unique but so good. The French toast bites were delicious. Hidden gem!!
Read More
Jaana S.
Dec 5, 2024
this is my neighborhood and this is my spot! i've been to brunch and dinner and enjoyed both. great spot to walk in on a week day (even if it does get a little loud)
Read More
Randy M.
Nov 14, 2024
This is not my neighborhood but we went all the way there just to try their brunch. All three members of our group enjoyed it. When you first sit down they serve you some really good pieces of some homemade (sweet potato?) loaf. Later, My sister had the frisée salad which was delicious, my mother had the steak and eggs which was a big portion and she loved it, I ordered the tornado omelette, which was a little small for me but was delicious. The tornado omelet sits atop a bed of sautéed Maitake mushrooms. I would definitely go back for the salad.
Read More
Jenniffer F.
Jan 28, 2024
Food: 10/10 - The brunch food was delicious! The fries-- must try. Everything was packed with flavor, and the pickles (I think) are homemade! Service: 10/10 - Everyone is very kind and attentive! I came here with a Groupon and unlike other places where I have read the treatment is not great, this place is the opposite. Felt super welcomed and taken care of. Ambiance: 10/10 - Everything was super clean and it felt cozy while still giving enough space between people. Overall, glad Groupon helped me discover this place!
Read More
Ulrike W.
May 19, 2024
What a nice place! Stumbled upon it, looking for a snack. I heard the fries were great there, so I had some, and it's true, they're perfect. Also had some bread and garlic butter, super delish. Nice service, clean and simple restaurant
Read More
Melissa H.
Jun 9, 2024
Fun spot on a quiet Tribeca street. I would advise against trying the oysters, as they were served warm and lacked good flavor.But I would be interested in trying the specials next time! Restaurant was busy and vibes were great.
Read More
Wendy C.
Nov 25, 2023
Not too chaotic on a Friday evening. Service was friendly and attentive. Wine selection was great. Loved the steak frites!
Read More
Maggie C.
Sep 21, 2024
In almost 20 years of living in New York City, I have never had as terrible experience as I did at Houseman last night. The manager, Mac, was beyond rude: he treated my friend and I with contempt and disdain. My friend and I had a work event around the corner and decided to go here for dinner. I live nearby and it had come highly recommended by my friends and neighbors. We arrived shortly after 6 pm and were given three options: outside table, inside table with a time limit, or the bar (which we were explicitly told by the hostess had no time limit). We chose the bar seats, had a few round of drinks, entrees and a side. They didn't offer us dessert and we were then abruptly given the check. I said half jokingly, I guess we are leaving? As my friend and I decided if we wanted to order another glass of wine, the manager inserted himself and said that he didn't have enough seats for people to just order drinks at the bar. Houseman food is only served there and there were people waiting for these seats. (For reference, it was about 8 pm and we had been there less than 2 hours.)Other restaurants will politely say they need the seats back but you are welcome to continue having a drink by the bar or on the bench outside. When this has happened to me before, I respectfully wrap it up and turn over the table. (Especially since Covid, we know restaurants are hurting and the economics are tough.) I was so shocked by Mac's lack of hospitality that we paid and walked out of the restaurant. The way we were treated felt pretty awful so I went back and asked politely if we could chat outside. We didn't want to make a scene. We reiterated we were told there was no time limit at the bar. We shared with him that we completely understand the seats need to turn over but the way it was handled was rude, inhospitable, and made us feel bad. If this place is about the experience we want to let you know we had a bad experience. He then disagreed with us and told us we should have been self-aware enough to know that there were people waiting. To that, we said it was clear that he was not receiving our feedback. He then said he didn't need to receive our feedback. He has so many other clients and regulars (and waved his hand across the crowd) that he didn't need to accommodate us. Even if he maintained he had done nothing wrong, there were still many points along the way he could have diffused the situation. He could have said: I'm sorry you were told the wrong information about the time limit, would you like to buy a drink and sit out on the bench now, or even: I hear you, thank you for the feedback. Instead, he chose to blame the customer for their bad experience (that they paid for). He was argumentative and condescending. His job is to make guests feel welcome and have a good experience. He made it clear we were not welcome there.
Read More
Stuart M.
Nov 16, 2024
Good food, service was atrocious. Our waitress took our order and never checked on our needs the entire evening. When our plates were cleared she plopped down a dessert menu and literally NEVER returned. We finally got fed up waiting and asked for our check. If you're gonna charge top dollar for food at least get quality help to go along w/ it.
Read More
