We can't say enough good things about this place. Not only is it a neighborhood gem that we frequent, but we hosted our engagement party/moving away party here and were blown away by the level of service and hospitality provided by Ken, Ned, and the rest of the Houseman crew. The food is delicious, the interior is cozy yet modern, and as I mentioned - the staff is hard to beat. I would recommend Houseman for every occasion, including a date night, a group dinner with friends, and a weekend brunch. And don't leave without getting the burger and the ricotta! read more

A great addition to the neighborhood! The food is delicious and healthy tasting. The ambience is very discreet. Drinks are delicious. Everyone should try this place, definitely worth checking out. We will be back. :) read more

Delicious. Shared a meal here with a friend recently and was not disappointed. Loved the ambiance and subtle decor. Service was on point. Started with the fried fava beans, dressed egg and pickled olives and cheese. All savory but the dressed egg was my favorite. Shared the beat salad and roasted chicken. All delicious and finished with the salted peanut tart - ah-mazing. All in all a great dinner. Worth a visit if you are looking for something new. read more

Reservations mean nothing at Houseman. You will show up for a reserved table only to be told by a dysthymic hostess that if you wait 20 minutes, you may get a seat at the bar. The food may be good (the place was crowded), but they treat patrons like cattle (prior to serving them burgers). No thanks. read more

Best burger in NYC.... Not only were the burger and fries outstanding but I had it delivered via Caviar. The burger arrived in tact, it was perfectly cooked, the bun was fresh and delicious (not soggy), and the fries were crispy without being greasy. This was delivery from the west village to midtown. Seriously! Amazing experience - thanks Houseman and Caviar! I will definitely be ordering again and also need to visit the restaurant. read more

Was not informed of a 2hr seating limit by staff and our group of three was ungraciously moved around the restaurant, eventually being told to we could not order dessert as our time in the establishment was up. Interesting vegetable dishes, unpolished manager. read more

this is an exceptional dining experience! The service low key and yet very elegant. the food is slow-cooked and from humane/ sustainable sources. the preparation is really exceptional - sauces a light and flavorful, desserts creative and fresh. It's a great place for a wonderful night out or a lovely quite early dinner. read more

Craving steak frites, we decided to venture to the far West Village to try what NY Mag called the city's best version of the menu staple. Ok, the space is charming, the service very good and the quality overall fine. The steak frites were delicious that we all ordered. Fries yummy and plentiful and meat flavorful (if a little light on the portion). The problem was that the appetizers are ill-conceived. Squid with XO sauce is a dish that doesn't want to be eaten without rice and merely by the spoonful! Tasty yes, but way overpriced and odd served stand-alone. The clams on toast was good but not for the price charged. The peanut pie was ok for dessert but somehow missed the mark. Cheapest wine was a white Gruner at $48. I disliked paying for one type of bread (whole grain) and butter- that really irked me. So while the main course was good and fairly priced and the service very good, the overall meal lacked balance and was most definitely over-priced. IF I'm going to pay for bread and butter, it had better be the greatest since sliced white, and it was not. read more

I came in to enjoy a quick bite between seeing patients in the area. The owner/manager was constantly speaking under his breath about the chef/wait staff. He made repeated disparaging remarks about perceived insufficiencies. The food was greasy. $20 for a tasteless burger (frozen) and very overcooked fries. read more

Houseman must have an A team that performs sporadically and a back bench that puts in the most work because one read of reviews from a few sites suggests this place is all over the place most times and then hits it out of the park a few other times. Optimistically, we went for lunch today and the whole experience was uneven and we left feeling like we were taken advantage of because the food was only meh and the bill was like, whoa. At first we had the place to ourselves and requested a table in the back. We were seated and got ourselves comfortable. Waters poured. Drink order taken promptly. Then there was what felt like a longer than typical wait time to place our food order but not a big deal. Another family arrived about 10 minutes later and were seated next to us. We found this to be a bit odd as it's now two families sitting next to each other in an otherwise empty restaurant. For only one other food order apart from ours, we thought 30 minutes wait for two orders of fries, baked eggs and a grilled cheese seemed pretty weird. Then our neighboring table's food came out immediately after ours was placed on the table. Portions are laughably small for the price and quality. I thought we were going to eat some innovative, delicious food, kinda elevated comfort food, and it turns out to be pretty much basic grub. Where was the caramelized onion in the French onion sandwich? Why was the amount of sausage in the baked eggs with sausage and fennel dish nearly non existent? Why serve only 20 fries as a portion? Are these the infamous frites because, a) wow, that's embarrassing and b) there was nothing at all newsworthy about them. Oh and the plates are legit the same as our local diner. The waiter was pleasant but only came to check on us as we finished our meal and didn't come by to pour another round of water. A manager sat at the back table with his laptop out eating lunch so yeah, pretty informal place. This is going to be a weird flex but the toilet paper is like newspaper gruff, like the cheapest stuff possible. I had to restock it myself because no one bothered to check on the condition of the bathroom that afternoon I guess so I suppose that's why it stands out. Houseman reminds me of the old saying about lipstick on a pig; there is so much about it that could be great (beautiful interior for one, acclaimed chef from previous acclaimed restaurant) but it's not quite there. Save your money and go to the Ear Inn or Westville nearby for vibes without pretense, hearty, well seasoned and proportioned food without being overpriced. read more

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 read more

One of the problems with New York these days is the incredible rush that we are forced into at new restaurants. But I've never been so rudely rushed until this place. I met an old colleague for an early dinner and work chat. We were ordering drinks while we waited for her husband to join us. The waitress was nice but the manager (a blonde woman) was so incredibly rude. Before we could even order food she grabbed the menus off the table and 15 minutes later bustled over to tell us they needed the table for a reservation. Really? There were at least four other tables open and available. I understand the need to turnaround tables but the urgency was really unnecessary. I could understand if we were there for an hour+ with ANY orders but we had ordered drinks and were there for maybe 20 minutes before she got all prissy and rude. For a place out of the way and in an area with little foot traffic you'd think you'd treat locals better. Good luck with her. read more

Wandered in after another local restaurant looked unappealing.. happily surprised. Food and service was excellent. Bean and anchovie toast was a tasty starter. Octopus was very tender. Roasted squash and then the chicken. We're perfect. I plan to go back. The menu is a touch quirky, but in an appealing way. Order the sour cream ice great with Fruitcake read more

Amazing anniversary dinner! We choose the beets and the roasted corn appetizers from many amazing sounding vegetarian dishes. Beets came with chili, sesame and sunglower seeds - delish; and roasted corn with labneh - even more delish. I had wonderful soft shell crabs, lightly fried with a delicate curry sauce; my husband had tender steak and umami fries. Nectarine galette and peanut tart for dessert. As good a meal as we have had anywhere. Lovely service - and nice vibe all around - downtown groovy without the formality. A really nice night! read more

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. read more

really tasty classic American flavors, at the risk of repeating others' reviews.... + the Hamburger and Fries is a must--good sear means good crunch from the burger, and the fries indeed are superbly hot, crisp and tasty (sign that Houseman does not over-use its frying oil--a cost-save other restaurants will do) + the Roasted Chicken is indeed really good--nice crisp on the skin (thus with the fat reduced through cooking) + service friendly and no-pressure + ambience simple but very comfortable, good buzz read more

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Nice new addition to the northwest corner of TriBeCa. Comfortable butcher block tables, nice clean space, attentive staff simple good food. The menu changes daily, in part, to reflect the weather. Menu has some fancy meat dishes (rack of lamb), burgers (excellent) and salads. Lots of small dishes. Long wine list and craft beers. Very comfortable and tasty. read more

Food was good, not great. Roast chicken was definitely the highlight. Nice neighborhood joint if you live nearby, but not a destination.

New American food is just the best. I think Houseman was really close to making some top 10 list on the NYTimes a while ago... It's like a fancy hipster restaurant that can potentially create a hole in your wallet. The menu is simple and short. They're known for their chicken, but I found their desserts to be the most memorable. Get the ice cream/malt(?) for dessert. read more

Lots of things are solid, if at times way too salty. The steak on the other hand, can be a complete and utter ripoff. Lots of overly salty potatoes and a small amount of steak, which while quality is by no means a top cut that would justify the $35 price. I'll be limiting my houseman visits to drinks and snacks. read more

I must say...the food was excellent. Incredibly overpriced though. Atmosphere is more hip than friendly. There are other places that go out of their way to make patrons feel good. Not this place. Chilly. read more

I really wish I could give 3 1/2 stars or maybe just rate different things different stars. I give the decor/atmosphere 4 1/2, the bartender 5, the waitress about 3 1/2 the wine list 4 1/2 and some of the food 4 1/2 and some 0. I was meeting some friends for dinner and one of them suggested Houseman. I had been wanting to try it so I was excited. We walked in for an early 6:30 reservation and as stated, the atmosphere was very chill and relaxed. We sat at the bar to wait for the rest of our party and ordered a few cocktails. The bartender was great, explaining drinks and making suggestions so I went with the gin and cucumber drink, light on the sweet stuff and it was amazing. The Pimms' cup has a major kick given the extra gin they add and that was very good as well. They have a great Sekt by the glass, something you don't see enough of. We were seated when the last of our party arrived and we were very chatty which I think annoyed the waitress a bit. I ordered the fried fava beans to start, they're nothing like the fried chick peas you get at places like Tia Pol so feel free to skip them, a bit bland. For food I ordered a plate of french fries, yes seriously, and the charred broccoli with hummus and fennel. The fries were great as was the broccoli, it's served with toasted bread that makes this a pretty hardy dish. My bf ordered the burger which is the way to go here. Even though I'm not currently eating meat I had to take a bite and it was well worth it, order it. The other two people ordered the chicken. Neither of them ate very much of it so as I was walking home I asked one of them how their food was and his response was, "probably the worst chicken I've had yet" Whaaaat? They're supposed to be known for their chicken? I didn't try it, I'm currently not eating chicken either so I can't comment but my friend said that it was super rubbery. He didn't mention it to anyone because he didn't want the person that suggested this place, the other chicken orderer, to feel bad,. I have no idea how she felt about it but I was disappointed that his meal was so awful, I really was digging this place! I would definitely recommend Houseman for the cocktails, interesting wine list; the cab franc is fab, the burger and fries...maybe steer clear of the bird? read more

Food Poisoned! Rotten cheeseburger, sick all day. Unpleasant experience that I am sick on Super bowl Sunday from being served rancid meat.

I'm excited to be one of the first people to review this place! Short Version: The food was fantastic and the waitstaff and bartender were very attentive and friendly. I will gladly come here again. I'll detail some of my favorite food below, but since the menu changes everyday, it might not be worth too much detail. Long Version: So we had a reservation here through OpenTable on July 4th. Unfortunately, Houseman hadn't updated their OpenTable Holiday schedule. So, on the 3rd, we got a call that we wouldn't be able to dine at Houseman on the 4th because they were closed. This was a little annoying, but an understandable mistake for a new restaurant. I arrived a little earlier than my family, and was sat at the bar to hang out until the rest of them arrived. The bartender discussed beer with me for probably a full 5 minutes until he figured out what I might like, and then made a recommendation which I gladly accepted. The beer was delicious. They don't have a huge beer menu but had some very interesting and delicious beers from Maine, as well as Japan. The bartender recommended one of the Japanese beers and I loved it! My aunt and I tried the Maine beers with dinner and they were also delicious. A+ job Mr. Bartender. When the rest of my family arrived, the waitstaff greeted my aunt (who had made the original reservation) very warmly and sat us down in a very nice table. One thing that stuck out to me is how scattered all the patrons were -- in most restaurants, the waitstaff clumps everyone together in order to make everyone's job easier. Here, they seemed more concerned with your ability to have a conversation. When our waitress came around for drinks, she informed us that our first round was on the house because of the mix-up on the 4th. Being from New York, we were all pleasantly surprised with such hospitality. Then, to top it all off, the owner/chef came out in his kitchen garb and thanked us for putting up with their nonsense and for giving Houseman a second chance. All very nice. Onto the food... We started with the Bread/Butter, Fried Fava Beans, Pickles/Olives/Cheese, Spicy Seafood Salad, and the Fried Green Tomatoes (Special). The Bread and Butter was fine, but not worth the money in my opinion. The Fried Fava Beans were delicious and I found myself craving them throughout the night (I love a little salt after a meal). The Pickles/Olives/Cheese was very enjoyable and yummy. The Spicy Seafood Salad was fantastic! You get a plate of shrimp and squid with crushed almonds served in a nice vinaigrette. This really was delicious (if you like shrimp and squid). The Fried Green Tomatoes were the favorite of the starters. They were very crispy and were served over some delicious herb aioli whose ingredients I forget. It was also served with some purslane which was soooo fresh and delicious. For the Entrees, we shared and got 2 Houseman Burgers, the Swordfish, the Pork Sausage, and the Chicken. The Burgers were very good. Not too big but not too small and served with swiss and caramelized onions. The fries that accompanied the burger were also great and so crispy. The Swordfish was probably our least favorite entree of the crew, but everyone still enjoyed it. I personally enjoyed the stewed vegetables the swordfish was served over more than the actual fish itself, but the fish did have a very nice flavor to it. The Pork Sausage was my personal favorite, but not the consensus favorite. It was served with a pepper paste and grilled onions and came with 2 nicely sized sausages. It had a nice amount of spice, and was cooked so well. The Chicken was the consensus favorite. With such crispy skin served in bone so people can enjoy the wing, leg and breast, it's an automatic winner. My family couldn't get enough of the croutons they were served with as well. I'm not a dessert guy so I won't try to describe too much. My family was obsessed with the PoppySeed cake and the owner nicely gave us two of the other desserts on the house. Since we were so stuffed, we weren't able to finish everything, but every dessert was delicious. Overall, the meal was terrific and I've never received such hospitality from any restaurant, let alone an NYC one before. Granted, they were trying to compensate for a mistake, but from what I saw around us people were being treated similarly. The biggest indicator of this was the amount of people that walked up to the kitchen and thanked the chef for a delicious meal. read more

Went for lunch, food was very poor quality and not up to the price. Found that the food was not cooked to specification and the menu was scarce. I have eaten at far better places for less money. I never mind spending on food as long as it is good, here it is not. Please find another place. Service was good though. read more

We've been regulars at Houseman since it opened and have loved everything! The cocktails are solid, the food is spectacular and, according to my husband, they have the best burger in the city. read more

pretty low-key, neighborhood american / french restaurant. maybe lacking a little in flair or creativity, but the food was homey and tasty. the chicken was especially good. nice wine list complements the food very well. a little bit pricey for what it is. read more

Very cool spot, the malt ice cream dessert was some of the best ice cream I've ever had. The squash app was delicious.

Like the location, interior and friendly staff, but not so much the taste. Someone said the roasted chicken was the best, but it was at best ok, some parts very salty, the others little taste. The endive salad was too sour. Maybe should have tried the burger. read more

Amazing service. I ordered from them from seamless and the seamless delivery guy was late so they made me a fresh new burger. Shout out to Ken! read more

Delicious burger but a bit pricey for their size. Really cool ambiance though. Casual but trendy. It was not crowded when I went.

We might have enjoyed the food more had they turned the air conditioning on. It was 85 degrees and they decided it would be a nice evening to keep the doors open and were not sympathetic to our requests for AC. read more

Luvved this restaurant last night. The Roast Chicken and Goat sausage sublime. Great attentive staff and a really cool very mixed crowd.The menu is small but i am a big fan of very short, seasonal menu's with great ingredients. The only concern i do have is i saw a sample menu from September 26th and it was pretty much the same as last night....is it changing often enough ? That said everything was very well cooked and our waitress was spot on with her suggestions and wine choices...we will be back very soon. read more

Awful. The food was uneven - some over salted (the beef and cheese sausage), some very bland (the squash). The wine (by the glass at least) was mediocre at best. The service was inattentive (there was a good 25 minutes between appetizer and entrée that went entirely unexplained; wine glasses sat empty for long stretches), and not so sharp when they did come around - and the place wasn't even half full. read more

Absolutely terrible food. Barely anyone there at 8pm primetime and for good reason. Menu is totally uninspiring, or they are trying to pretend they are something they are not. The salad is like a giant bowl of green mulch they would feed to a dairy cow. My chicken was undercooked and average. Service was fine and decor is ok, its just the food is totally not worth it. With about a 50 other viable restaurants within a couple block radius, there is no point in Houseman's existence. read more

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

I love Tribeca, but I keep complaining that it doesn't have a seriously good Brooklandia kind of farm-to-table restaurant. Where is our Marlowe & Sons? Where is our Little Bird? Houseman, alas, is not that restaurant. Which is not to say it's not excellent. I've only been twice, but both times it was really good. The menu is nose-to-tail, the dishes are well-conceived and the cocktail program is serious. I wish the place took itself a little less seriously though. What's missing is the youthful sense of passionate invention that easy to come by in Portland or Bushwick, but appears to have been permanently priced out of Manhattan. Yeah, I'm gonna go to this place regularly. But I'm not gonna feel like I'm getting away with something. read more