Down House
| Address: | 1801 Yale St, Houston, TX 77008, USA |
| Phone: | +1 713-864-3696 |
| Site: | treadsack.com |
| Rating: | 4.1 |
| Working: | 9AM–10PM 9AM–10PM 9AM–10PM 9AM–10PM 9AM–11PM 9AM–11PM 9AM–9PM |
Location
Photos 100
Reviews 5
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Russ Ault
It was a Friday evening, and I went to dinner with two friends. I had noticed Down House for the first time a few days prior, and didnt check reviews or menus in advance, so I didnt have any expectations - or warnings - going in. From the outside, it looked like it could have been anything. From the inside, the decor was neither eclectic nor kitschy, it appeared to be just an ordinary restaurant with a bar. It took a few minutes to get seated (no surprise; Friday evening) and then we got a look at the menus. There were two of them. One page, printed on one side only, detailed the meal choices. A hefty *book* listed the specialties available from the bar. Okay, thats a bit of a clue, but drinking wasnt what we had in mind, so we started looking at the food menu. Whoops. The choices made it pretty obvious that this was a place where the term "nouvelle cuisine" was going to be applicable to at least some portion of the items available, and one should not expect to get away for under $25 per person with a decent-sized entree and a beverage. The selections we chose included Sichuan wings, lettuce wraps, sweet pepper soup, and Brussels sprouts. Although the preparation and quality of ingredients for most of the dishes was excellent, portion sizes (not stated on the menu) ranged from okay right down to "just barely more than an appetizer". Of the four items, only the Brussels sprouts were an actual disappointment due to the preparation of the dish. Overall, I was not overly impressed, but where they didnt stumble, the food was good - but there really wasnt enough to justify the tab. For the right client or prospect, I would not hesitate to use an employers credit card to pay for a meal here when entertaining. Based on this visit, Id say that the majority of the food is indeed very well prepared - but the value is in the establishments dedication to quality, not their portion size. That said, as I tend to return where I get the best perceived combination of quantity and quality, I probably wont be back to Down House - but if your budget is substantially less stricken than mine frequently is, what the heck, give it a go. At least some of the stuffs good, and youll leave with plenty of room remaining for a major dessert. (We tried their bread pudding; it was good, but not the best example Ive had. Their dessert menu is limited, so this is a category that I feel is best filled elsewhere.)
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A Private User
I lived in Austin for seven years, so I know what crappy service is all about. I have heard Down House has fantastic food. I went on January 2 (a holiday and a Monday morning) with my wife and 2 year old daughter to try to find out. Sadly, I cant report on the quality of the food, because we sat in the place for 15 minutes and none of the four servers (despite not being terribly busy) could find the time to give me or my wife a menu (we got wine lists instead), much less take a drink order or a food order. I will probably go back and give it another shot, but still, give me a break. There was no host or hostess at the door. It was unclear to me, a first time visitor, whether it was wait to be seated or seat yourself. Hell, even IHOP has a sign telling you that. Unclear as to whether you order at the counter or wait for someone to take your order. When I asked an employee that question, he told me he was busy and hed be right back. He came back 5 minutes later with two wine lists instead of a menu. There were several tables that sat un-bussed for the entire time my wife and I were there this morning. I am hopeful this place has a better run kitchen that its floor, because it was a pathetic mess today. Worst service Ive ever had at any place that served food. Hell, you cant even call it service, since no one even bothered to take my order.
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Dan Kasoff
Down House, being a small restaurant, does not have a lot of parking. Luckily, I was able to find a spot in their parking lot. I arrived early for my date on purpose to scope out Down House since I had never been there before. Although it was at night, I felt the restaurant was rather dark inside. Down House takes great pride in its coffee cocktails, which I can confirm are amazing. I had a Willy Wonka, which was very easy to drink with a slight cofee taste. I had to pace myself it was so good. For the rest of the night, I just had beer. As far as price goes, it is on the expensive side, but you wont break the bank. 18, 19 dollars on an average entree, but I wasnt hungry enough for one. When the date started, I ordered an amazing appetizer which filled me up. It was bread with cream cheese and mushrooms. It sounds simple, but it was totally awesome. Down House is more a restaurant than a bar, which I wasnt expecting. Instead of drinks and food on the same ticket, I had to pay for my coffee drink first (since it was at the bar) and then pay for the other drinks and food. Ill have to remember that next time. Also, I didnt really see any Charles Darwin-esque things here. The interior design just seems like a large house with some couches and tables. Ill have to look next time i go.
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Renia Butler
Downhouse is where the cool kids go to play, only the cool kids would have to join a club to drink. You may or may not know that a large part of the Houston Heights is considered a "dry" area. Its a law that has been in place for a long, long time, even before prohibition. There is a clause in the TABC code that notes that in dry areas, alcohol may be served to members of a private club with the correct license, SO...you have to be a club member to drink here. But becoming a member is easy as pie. Simply give the waiter your license and they will give you a little club member card that you must show at your next visit. If you loose the card, just give them your license and that will work also. Forget both those things and you will be drinking water :) If you are coming to be a little romantic ask for a smaller table, because there are tables that are HUGE and if you and your date sit across from each other you will only be able to touch finger tips!! I had the Martini and my Husband the old fashioned. He mentioned that it was the best that he had, so thats a plus. The waiter even mentioned that it was one of their most popular drinks. Happy hour M-Th 3-7pm $3 - off cocktails $2 - off wine $1 - Beer There may be some food on special also!
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Russell Weil
Down House in the Houston Heights area is one of those places I have been meaning to try, but never had the chance - UNTIL TODAY! Forget that Ive heard great things about their food, atmosphere, bar and BURGERS - my awesome "graphic designer" niece is their Hostess! Why didnt I go until now, and I why did I go on a day when my niece wasnt there!? Well, Ill be back for both reasons. Their burger is awesome - just the sound of it makes my mouth water all over again! I ordered the "Lone Star Burger" and it was the perfect blend of tastes - Cabot Cheddar, Heirloom Tomato, Lettuce, House Mustard and House Mayo on a Slow Dough Challah. They left nothing off! The first bite - I cant even describe the euphoria. The cheese and house mayo and the slow dough challah enhanced the perfectly cooked medium rare hamburger. I took the heirloom tomato (my favorite) off the bun and ate separately with a knife and fork! The friendly service was the icing on the burger! So, try it, youll love it! Their menu has lots of great items, but go for the Lone Star Burger or the Kim Chi Burger (which I will try on my visit next week, based on my nephews recommendation)!
