houseman

Always a pleasure. Delicious, neighborhood-​y, and well-​lit for long evenings. What more could you ask for?

My girlfriend walks by this place every day on the way to work, and has often wondered why it’s so busy in the evenings. Last night we ate there and the answer was made evident.
We were greeted by the manager on entrance and told we had a 5 minute wait for the table, so we grabbed a drink at the bar and sat on the bench outside to wait. Within 5 minutes, our table was ready. Admittedly, the tables are close together as the place isn’t huge, but just far enough to not feel like it’s communal dining.
The waitress was wonderful — she took time to explain the menu (which isn’t too huge, but nice and varied) and before long we were dining on spring lettuces and herbs and a bean and roast cauliflower dip. Both delightful. We then moved to entrees — I had the braised lamb and my girlfriend has the burger. The lamb was tender and gamey, complemented well by the golden rice. Tasty and satisfying. The burger, however, was one of the best I’ve eaten in a while. Perfectly cooked and seasoned, juicy meat, with Swiss cheese, mushroom and grilled onions. Just perfectly sized, I managed a bite before my girlfriend wolfed it down with her fries, and a satisfied look on her face. The special dessert they offered us was a quince crumble with sour cream ice cream. A perfect sweet and tart end to the meal.
Great service and very good modern eclectic food for a decent price. This foodie couple will be back.

This place has potential… but we certainly wouldn’t return. Let’s start with the 30 minute wait for a table even though we had a reservation. I understand the group in front of us was just taking their sweet time, but at least do something to make us feel better about the wait (maybe a complimentary cocktail or two)… but whatever…
Service overall was efficient but not that friendly… the overall ambiance of the restaurant was a turn-​off for me. The place is loud, topped off by loud, annoying music of a particular taste (not mine).
This could have been easily overcome by the food. But there just too many mistakes. Out of all of our dishes I think the beef sausage was the most successful. Things that fell in the mediocre category: the fried fava beans, the «hummus», and the pork terrine… not sure why they burned the delicious bread they sent out, but this goes to the main issue I have with this place. Just too many mistakes…
Okay, so the beef tongue was probably prepared how they wanted it, but it wasn’t my friend’s cup of tea (too mushy). The roast chicken– perfectly cooked, and the taste was there. Waaay too salty… Speaking of which, my burger was great, but again waaaay too salty. And while we’re on this theme, the mushroom dish, waaay, waaay, too salty.
What the hell?! Either the chef has a heavy hand with the salt, or someone in the kitchen was just not paying attention. Either way, too many mistakes. None of our party of four would ever come back here… even though the food really does have potential.

We came here for Valentine’s Day and it was perfect. Every single dish was outrageously good. The mushrooms, the clams, the salads, a perfectly cooked steak. This meal was 100% delicious.

This place is delicious. We came here for an early Valentine’s Day celebration. I liked how this place didn’t have a noise level at 10 and every table was evenly spaced so that you didn’t feel cramped.
We didn’t order the roasted chicken or the burger which got high reviews. We ordered the rack of lamb special for two ($ 75) which was heavenly. I think this was one of the best lamb I had in the US. Served with roasted cauliflower, leeks, and yogurt sauce. Ahh, still thinking about it. For apps, we had the little neck clams (6 – 7 large pieces for $ 16) marinated in celery broth, divine. And, the mushroom salad ($ 16), get it. I think this place changes their menu seasonally but don’t fret. They seem to hit the mark on food execution and consistency.
Sorry, no photos, I was too busy eating! I highly recommend this place to anyone who wants to splurge on a nice dinner. I would come back.

Went here for lunch in the middle of the week, since it’s right near my office. The atmosphere was great, comfortable, and we were seated immediately. Decent amount of space for the weird Soho/​West Village/​South Village neighborhood that my office (and Houseman!) are in. The menu needs a lot of explanation by the waitstaff, and all of them were happy to oblige. Sometimes I feel like the waitstaff at other places talk down to you while explaining dishes, but they were easy to talk to and easy to understand.
I split a burger (double patty — I like to eat light during lunches where I have to go back to work!) and it was delicious. No real substitutions allowed, but even if I had ordered the whole thing for myself, it wouldn’t have been too overwhelming. Fries were universally agreed upon, since they were awesome.
Solid lunch experience, although I wish a burger at lunch wasn’t $ 15 (plus $ 2 for fries!).

Double burger is amazing. Really solid. Probably worth skipping the $ 11 beer but that burger…

Wow! What a disappointment! Not so much for the food which was fine, tho somewhat cavalierly priced ($ 30 for lamb meatballs? Is that some kind of challenge?) But for a really dysfunctional front-​of-​house that made it a truly unpleasant dining experience. Shortly after finishing our mains the check hit the table (without us asking) and our water glasses were removed. Still had half a glass of wine in front of me – why deny me water at that point? Believe me, we weren’t lingering, maybe there an hour total. And we dropped a nice amount on apps, mains and a bottle. Anyway, got the message: never going back. (BTW why do they go through all the fuss of presenting dessert options on a little chalkboard when there really only is one dessert?)

Went with a friend for dinner and we had an awesome time. We ordered the pickles, olives, and cheese to start and then split the grilled broccoli, the beans and cauliflower, and the roasted chicken. Everything was delicious and flavorful. Although nothing stood out as particularly amazing, everything was great and we were quite happy with our meal. The atmosphere of Houseman is cozy and warm and the acoustics of the space made it possible to actually conduct a conversation (something that is truly a rarity in the city!) I thought the meal was a little pricier than I would have liked, but nothing too crazy, given that everything is expensive these days!
The hostess came over and told us that they needed to seat the next party at our table, but offered a comped glass of wine at the bar, which we really appreciated. That level of thoughtful service was evident throughout the meal.
Good for: date night

Excellent food. Friendly staff. Not that loud. Groups up to 6.
Highly recommend: turnips & speck, burger, roast chicken, malt ice cream
Skip: fried fava beans

This is my second time here and both were for lunch. I still need to come back to try this chicken dish that everyone raves about.
One thing that stands out is their fries — an absolute must. Has to be top 2 in the city! Today I had their crispy pollack sandwich and it was DEVINE! The fish was cooked to perfection!

I feel like Houseman was perhaps unfairly built up (amazing burger, seasonal menu, Prune alums), but I don’t know that it is worthy of the (considerable) hype. Atmosphere/​ambiance was nice — very warm and welcoming. I think the environment is a bit casual relative to the prices — open wooden tables with a relaxed, beer-​hall vibe — but then again, this is Tribeca so I suppose the prices are a given. Food wise, we went with the roast chicken and the burger, and glasses of the Rioja featured on the menu which were priced at «$ 8» but then were $ 14 on our check? We both enjoyed our meal, but I do agree with Pete Wells’ NYT review, which noted that the burger is too good to be served on a rather cold, unwieldy and large bun. If I lived in the neighborhood I’d probably return but as it is, I don’t think you need to make a special trip.

Love this delicious and flexible restaurant. I come in early with my children, when we order chicken and burgers and Shirley Temples. We’re treated well and the service speed matches the kids’ pace, so we are happily fed and off before anyone gets too stir crazy.
I also come in with friends I small and large groups. We share lots of delicious starters – lately the grilled tongue, roasted carrots and always the anchovy toast – then eat around the menu. I’m partial to the EJ Manhattan, but good wine list warms uptown meal even more. It’s comfortable and beautiful I the dining room, so these evenings can go on.
And lunch – ideal for a business conversation or festive meet up with friends.
I recommend walking in before 7 if you want to beat the rush. Rumor has it, there are interesting little bar snacks to be had when the restaurant opens too.

Amazing atmosphere and food!
Very tasty sides (we tried three), incredible turkey leg with mushrooms and the ice-​cream dessert is to die for. Well done!

KenScale: 8.0÷10
Houseman at TriBeCa is the kind of restaurant I wish I could see more often. Led by Ned Baldwin, who worked at Gabrielle Hamilton’s Prune restaurant known for its no-​nonsense, soulful food, the restaurant carries the same philosophy of not-​too-​fancy yet well-​executed New American dishes. I recently made a visit for a weekend dinner, and overall had a satisfactory experience with the dishes.
The menu at Houseman is rather concise and just by the description, it won’t wow you instantly. I didn’t have any particularly bad dish, however, starting with the fried fava beans that would make for an excellent snack anywhere. The dishes at the restaurant seem more vegetable-​focused, such as the roasted carrots that came with cottage cheese and pumpkin seeds or the roasted squash with pistachios, feta, chilis and pickled currants. Both dishes were nicely cooked and had the refined balance of flavor and texture that you wouldn’t normally expect from an assortment of vegetables. The main dishes had more carnivore options. The roasted half chicken with stewed favas, which has quickly become a signature dish of the restaurant (thanks in part to praise from NY Times), was moist and tender and seasoned with great balance. I was also a huge fan of fried haddock that came with spicy salted cabbage, fermented mango and lime, with the fish beautifully cooked and no sign of sogginess from the fried fish. The only downer was the grilled goat sausage, which despite its novel factor, was somewhat on the tough side in terms of texture. Desserts carried the similar philosophy of «everyday food» that looks simple yet well-​executed and delightful, whether it’s the salted peanut tart or the malted ice cream with hot fudge and brown butter croutons.
I absolutely love the minimalistic décor of the restaurant that is inviting yet trendy at the same time, perfect for TriBeCa neighborhood. The restaurant has a full bar, with some nice wine and cocktail selections. Getting the reservation wasn’t particularly difficult but the dining area is not as large as you think, so booking in advance is always recommended. For a casual dinner of thoughtful food that is not over the top and where you can have a nice conversation with your friends and family, Houseman is definitely a worthwhile place to pay a visit.

I knew I had to try this place after reading the NY Times’ review, where the writer could not stop raving about the roasted chicken dish. I must admit, I don’t generally order chickens in restaurants, as it is not my favorite protein. Although, I do love, LOVE the chicken dish from Balaboosta, but let’s not get sidetracked. Generally, when other people highly recommend a dish, I tend to be very susceptible to their suggestions, in short, I am an advertiser’s dream.
Long story short, I wasn’t blown away by the chicken, it was just average. I liked the texture of the crispy skin, and the accompanied salad, particularly the fava beans. But I thought the dish itself was too bland, I wish they would season the chicken more before roasting it. We also tried the Pork Terrine, which was just mediocre, and I honestly can’t recall much details about the dish.
Dessert was my favorite part of the meal, we tried the salted peanut tart and the chocolate molten cake, both of which were great. I though the peanut tart was unique with an interesting mix of saltiness and sweetness, although it would be too heavy for one person to finish. The chocolate cake was perfection, I love the bitterness of the moist dark chocolate, and ice cream is always the perfect companion to chocolate.
Overall, it was a pleasant dining experience, our waitress was very nice and had great suggestions for the wine. The restaurant is not very conveniently located and it is quite close to the entrance of the tunnel. I am not sure I would trek all the way out there to try it again. If you love chicken, I would highly recommend for you to try Balaboosta instead, you won’t regret it!

A great new addition to southern West Village or northern Tribeca (whatever you wanna call it), houseman delivers a simple menu with merely a few choices that are well-​executed in a comfortable space, reminiscent of New England.
I came in one day and sat at the bar, even though the restaurant was remarkably empty. Maybe it was due to the fact that the place had just opened only three months before. In any case, the menu was a sight to behold: boxes within boxes, with drinks intermixed with entrees on one side, a curious weather report on the top, and wines by the bottle and beers on the reverse. A surprisingly short list of entrees (only three) with a fairly long list of appetizers were all the food they served, and when asked about the specials, the staff member I spoke to simply replied that they didn’t have any that day.
I ended up deciding on the beef tongue with tomato salad as an appetizer (a perfect late summer starter), and the famous roast chicken with parsley salad as a main. As anyone who’s had tongue before, it is either hit or miss, but the gamble proved to be worthwhile as houseman’s lengua was deliciously tender, as if the cow had a glib penchant for linguistics. The famous roast chicken was a contradiction — the crisp skin somehow betraying the succulently moist meat, which was perfectly flavorful, but simple and downright homey in its seasoning. The breast meat could’ve been a little more moist (perhaps by brining or sous vide), but it was probably the most tender white meat I’ve ever had at a restaurant. A pickled onion relish and parsley salad rounded out the plate nicely.
Desserts are presented via a chalkboard, but I ended up getting an espresso, which was perfectly agreeable. The atmosphere is relaxed, but the owner is the opposite, visibly buzzing around nervously from table to table. Perhaps it’s because it’s the first few months. Nonetheless, the service is professional, cute, and made me feel right at home. I’m eager to see how their menu changes with the seasons as the restaurant matures into the winter.

Walked by Houseman in west soho/​Hudson Square so decided to give it a try. Very nice space, small menu. Had:
Dressed Eggs — very tasty with fried parsley and capers
Light salad — nothing complicated but excellent, great dressing
Straciatella with roasted vegetables — must try, very runny with zucchini, peppers and corn loved it
Striped bass with clams for two — excellent though at $ 85 overpriced by $ 20. Price not on menu but server did mention when I ordered.
Worth a trip to Hudson Square.

Yeah, no. Supposedly one of the best burgers in town. Supposedly super innovative and delicious menus. Nothing was bad but nothing was inspired either. The burger patty itself was very tasty and umami-​filled but the overall concept was lackluster (just caramelized onions and cheese) and I really don’t like smushy potato buns which just sop up juices and turn into a soggy mess in your hands. I also much prefer raw onion to caramelized onions on burgers.
The fried fava bean snack was literally just a handful of fried fava beans (and tastes the same as the kind you can buy in a jar at an Asian/​Burmese market) and the sort-​of-​deconstructed deviled eggs were not even close to a substitute for actually-​deviled eggs. Little gem lettuces salad wasn’t bad but really… it’s just some leaves and dressing smeared on the plate.
And then there was the dessert menu. Laughable was the first word that came to mind. Did your pastry chef go on vacation and the best you could come up with was a scoop of vanilla ice cream with sliced cantaloupe? The vanilla ice cream was actually really nice but I have no idea if this was brought in or actually made in-​house.
It’s a cool space but this is definitely in the category of places to be seen and be trendy, and not places to be wowed and satisfied by the food.

I read elsewhere that this place was a quiet gem waiting to be discovered and served the best burger in NYC.
Neither of these statements are quite true.
It was pretty busy given its out of the way location, I imagine soon it’ll be impossible to get in too.
The burger was ok, however the other two dishes we ordered were outstanding.
There was a peach and prosciutto starter that was full of flavor, inventive and light.
The roast chicken dish was probably the best roast chicken I have ever tasted.
It was full of flavor and very moist, served with a full on flavored garlic toast.
These two dishes totally blew my mind. That along with a cocktail called a bicycle, a perfect meal.
Add an incredibly light vibrant venue and great staff and good pricing.
Just a great night out.
If this is your neighborhood local, well lucky you. If not get here before you can’t get in.