The House
“The House is an elegant, beautifully-restored 1854 carriage house that keeps its charm and beauty without demanding a suit and tie.”
“The house is a two story brick restaurant just off the main beat in Union Square.”
“I had the octopus as my appetizer and the beef short rib as my entree both dishes were delicious.”
The House
Takes Reservations: Yes
Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
Bike Parking: Yes
Good for Groups: Yes
Outdoor Seating: Yes
Waiter Service: Yes
Caters: Yes
Price range.
$$$ Price range $31-60
8 reviews
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I really like this place. It's tiny and cozy – perfect at Christmastime.
The staff are friendly and professional. Nice wine selection. The mac and cheese was excellent and the chicken was ok.
We went back the next night for drinks because we liked the atmosphere and surroundings so much. Very relaxed and cozy.
This is a small, cozy place in the Union square vicinity that made for a delish dinner. I came here for a business dinner so we actually occupied the entire lower level which made me happy. We were able to hear each other talk without screaming over neighboring tables.
I had the grilled octopus as an appetizer which was prepared very well. The octopus was tender and not rubbery at all. I was having a dilemme choosing an entree because so many of them appealed to me. I decided to go for the mac and cheese and it was amazing! Came in a sizzling pan and the cheese was so gooey and flavorful. For dessert, I had to get the trio of il labatorio gelato. It came with mango, chocolate and amaretto (my favorite!)
So why the one star off? Service was a bit lacking. We had to ask multiple times for an extra plate setting. They got better through the meal service though.
I loved the location, setup, decor, tunes (modern Jazz), & ambience of this place. It's extremely relaxed & business casual dress is definitely a must.
The masses probably won't like a place like this. Yet, those who appreciate a place that's casual classy will enjoy. It's definitely Gramercy chic, which is a welcome change from the extremely modern establishments that coalesce (barely a stone's throw away) on Park Ave S.
I initially planned to come for lunch, then decided to come for dinner. With a busy night ahead, I changed my mind yet again & just opted to try a cocktail.
Hi, cocktail hour. Oh, you have deals…the cocktail was also accompanied by an amazing cheese plate. A choice of three or five cheeses? Five of course…
The Carriage House Punch left a lot to be desired, as I only tasted the wine (*womp womp*) but experienced quite a buzz from.
Sure, my server was a comedy of errors, but he admitted that he was having an off day. His honesty quickly rectified the situation.
So crazily enough, even with a blah cocktail & a forgiving waiter, it still stands @ 5 stars.
My wife and I randomly stumbled across this restaurant after spending an evening at a cocktail lounge around the corner. We noticed immediately that they had two floors. The first floor was pretty casual and the second floor was a bit more buttoned up. We didn't try anything on their wine/cocktail list but we did dive straight for the appetizers. My wife tried their wild mushroom soup and I went with the grilled octopus. The grilled octopus was good, but it was exactly what I was expecting, nothing out of the ordinary. The wild mushroom soup was incredible though!
Their burger here is to die for. Brioche toast, pat la frieda blend of beef, nicely seasoned and topped with some cheese and lettuce. The small handful of fries on the side were a nice accompanyment.
After a year of walking by and thinking how cute this little building was I finally came for dinner. So very glad that i did. This place is very small with a bar and few tables downstairs and an upstairs dining room of about 10 tables.
Service was very attentive, the waiter even took our winter coats down to the coat check for us.
The bread was eh, and bread is my favorite thing so that made me a little sad.
The burrata appetizer was delicious (but honestly, is burrata ever not delicious?) and this one is the sweet variation.
Then came the Short ribs entree! Mmmmm it came with a mushroom creamy risotto, white peppercorns, and covered in a delicious sauce. The meat was cooked perfectly and I should have stopped halfway through the meal bc it was so heavy but I just couldn't!!!!
A bit Pricey but all restaurants in the city are.
Will return on another cold winter day
Review for bar only
Came here on a Sat night after being turned away for a long wait at Dear Irving.
It was almost too quiet for a sat night after 9ish, with a 2 people at the bar and a table occupied, we did not care as I didn't mind to have the whole place to myself, or at least place like this we can carry a conversation! I like its dimly lite interior, we settled at the bar facing the stairs. I did not find what I like from the menu, and I was in the mood for old fashioned which was not the menu, so I decided to order it anyway although my judgemental side told me don't order off the menu if you don't trust the bartender! he turned out to be a cocky one to begin w just based on the question I had w the kind of bourbon he has at the bar! it only went downhill from there! it was so disproportional made w excessive amount of simple syrup and not enough bourbon, I couldn't manage to finish my only drink, not even half of it.
I came here recently with my good friend after I hadn't seen her in a long time.
This spot is sooo cute and cosy (when the heat is turned on) and is essentially the inside of an rustic townhouse.
I will say this spot is great for drinks since there is a little bar with stools and the bartender makes sure you are taken care of. Just wink at him * (just kidding he's a lovely person)
Also if you are trying to impress someone with atmosphere on a 1st or 2nd date this is a nice choice ( I liked it when I was single).
For food I can say:
-Black Olive Hummus, Avocado, Warm pressed flatbread- is tasty
– Day Boat Sea Scallops, Butternut squash puree, pancetta crisp, hazelnut sherry glaze –I truly recommend!
-Truffled "Mac & Cheese" -Perigord truffles, gruyere, asiago, grafton cheddar (CHEESE……… Need I say more? )
-Black Angus New York Strip Steak -Roasted fingerlings, herbed beurre compose – Is good if you have it cooked medium and really pink!
Why not 4 stars you may ask?
Well honestly the last x2 I went it was coldish. Now I'm on the cold side of constitution so I might bias (comes from being South American) BUT I wasn't able to enjoy the food as much because I was soo cold.
Maybe the heating was broken? I'm willing to give the benefit of the doubt.
LOVE everything about The House. Outstanding ambiance, service and food in a beautiful, charming restaurant that is a restored 1854 carriage house.
I passed The House several times and was curious to try. Having a drink to start a girls night out nearby, I called and asked if one of their few outside tables would be available for dinner and made a reservation.
A room for everyone who appreciates charm, character. Different floors of The House suitable for different occasions and preferences: perfect girls night outside or at the downstairs bar, perfect date night downstairs, perfect for private parties or gatherings. More formal feeling upstairs, more cozy and a little more lively downstairs.
When we arrived, our table was not available yet so we ventured upstairs to check out the mini bar and use the restroom while waiting. The upstairs room while very nice with interesting Windows has a more formal feeling, suitable for a quieter date or formal get together. Even the bartender at the small bar upstairs had a more formal demeanor. Not what we wanted for our Thursday girls night so we went back downstairs.
The hostess asked if we wanted to have a seat at a table while waiting for ours to clear, and ordered us a drink. Very attentive and sweet.
The first floor is cozy, charming, very pretty with a fireplace in the back. A slightly livelier feel with some people having conversation at the bar, and several tables for less formal dining than upstairs. The ambiance felt perfect for a date which I said to my friend as we were seated across the table from each other with a small candle in between us. But, not being on a date, we were looking forward to our outside table…
A number of people were walking in and heading downstairs so there is another area downstairs as well likely for private parties.
Finally our table was ready – the server sweetly apologized that it took so long and said the first round of drinks were on The House. Very nice gesture. There are only 3 outside tables so this is prime at The House, near the sidewalk of a charming Gramercy street, festive feeling as people walking the sidewalks pass by.
Service.
The hostess and server Brendan were wonderful. Personable, friendly. Brendan had a great personality with wit while also being knowledgable about the menu and with great recommendations.
The food.
Everything was Incredible and really well presented . We had:
– gourmet deviled egg sampler, so pretty and the lobster deviled egg was my favorite of the four.. Others were Caviar and crème fraiche, jalapeño, bacon.
– grilled octopus carpaccio. Both our first time having this amazing dish that when looking at it initially we were a little apprehensive, but it was delicious. We both loved it.
– Long Island duck. This may be the best duck I've had, and my friend loved it as her first time having it, saying it tasted almost like steak – which it did. Tender, cooked perfectly and the light sauce was wonderful.
– brownie Sunday dessert. This was just divine and a perfect ending to the meal with my sambuca.
Drinks. Brendan recommended a spicy Martini off their special drink list which was great and served with a jalapeño slice giving it a kick.
My friend pointed out that everyone who passed looked up and checked out the lights. No wonder as the charmingly lit House restaurant is more charming looking at night. Just as my friend pointed out that everyone who passed was stopping to take a look, a couple walked by, and the woman slowed asking her date, "what is this place?" He was on his phone but looked up to see the name and said, "the house; write it down."
Yes, I thought, write it down. Or yelpers Bookmark it. Highly recommend as a wonderful restaurant to have dinner with girlfriends, a date, family or for a special event.