Seriously, I'm perplexed as to what happened to my pictures from this place. Â It's almost like it was a figment of my imagination and it doesn't exist in this earthly realm. Â But, Yelp confirms the existence, hence the review.
My dad and I were visiting my brother in St. Louis and were planning a drive out to see my uncle in Bloomfield, Indiana. Â Driving through cornfields in the Midwest is not my favorite pastime, so to alleviate the boredom, Â I searched Yelp for anything of interest along the path and, thank my lucky stars, came across Harry & Buds European Cuisine.
Omg, don't even bother telling the guy you found his place on yelp... he won't care. Â And that's why I love this place with every ounce of my being. Â There is no sign. Â There is no parking (though you can bogart a spot at the theater parking lot across the street no problem.) Â If he's open, the porch light will be on (old-school.) Â When we walked in, we were the only customers and that's how it was the next 4 hours we were there. Â We sat down... and then a guy with white hair, hiking socks & boots, and shorts came out from the back and asked us if we prefer salmon, chicken, or scallops. Â I don't even remember which one we picked (and I KNOW we picked only one) and he left us. Â Then we proceeded to hear pots banging, water pouring, oven doors closing. Â One hour later, the spread was laid before us (two people, mind you) that would have fed an army (in the total and literal sense.) Â I do not know why he asked us what our preferences were because he brought us every item that he mentioned and then some. Â Needless to say, I was in heaven... my dad was in shock.
After the meal (be prepared,) he will bring you dessert too. Â Even if you don't want it... which you won't. Â Just understand, he will make to-go boxes for every scrap remaining of your meal. Â So you are not in the slightest expected to eat it all in one seating. Â (That is where my dad and I went wrong... it was such a spread I was stuffing myself to ensure nothing would go to waste because it all tasted so delicious & I couldn't fathom that he'd let us leave with evidence of this bounty!) Our desert was pound cake covered in chocolate sauce and wild berries... Â that promptly disappeared and did not make it into any to-go containers.
Unfortunately, I don't remember the name of the guy running this operation (and I really don't think it was Harry or Bud) but this guy loves what he does and he loves the customers that appreciate it, too.  He was a wealth of knowledge for the area and totally present  to offer advice/suggestions on what else to see/do in Terre Haute and the surrounding area.  So don't hold back!  Ask him questions!
I feel very lucky to have experienced this story. Â I only hope that every person who reads this gets the chance as well. Â If you are anywhere near Indianapolis, take the drive and just get here already!
Notes... if you are taking a group (more than 4) call ahead to give him a heads up. Â Cash only. Â "Probably" Â $40/person, but be prepared... this guy deserves the "mother" of all tips.
EVERYTHING about this place is nothing short of amazing. The quaint atmosphere that offers up map upon map of the different countries of the world. The chairs and tables give you the ability to travel back in time as you pick your seat. You feel as if you are at a good friends house as the smells from the kitchen permeate your senses.
I showed up unannounced with my Dad and cousin at 12pm. The light was off but we lucked out, he was there. Â Jeff asked what we liked and we said fish, chicken, and pork. We sat and talked and could pick up on the different spices he was using from the kitchen. Â About 45 minutes later, we started seeing the food arrive. Our eyes had never been bigger!
The pork was incredible. Tender, moist, it could be cut with a spoon! Served with polenta that was out of this world! Garlic lovers paradise!
The scallops and mushrooms with lentils were so good that I had to stop myself from gorging. I then saw the crepes and tortas were on another big plate and had to pace myself. He then brought out the chicken that was served with zucchini spears that were AMAZING.
The gnocchi was the best I have ever had and I could not get enough
The warm, homemade bread was flaky on the outside and soft and DELICIOUS on the inside.I dipped it on the tomato bisque that was also served.
The orange roughy with lentils was some of the best seafood that has come across my lips. How could food this great be made in Terre Haute?
We also got many green veggies that accented the meal nicely. Everything was seasoned to perfection, a truly balanced and mouthwatering bite after bite.
For dessert was raspberry custard with dark chocolate sauce. DIVINE!! Almost sinful!
Make sure you have an empty stomach and at least 1.5 hours to spare. I would also recommend a nap and DO NOT drive a long distance after eating here. This place is TRULY an experience that should not be missed.
Remember: No menus, giant portions, $25/person. Be sure to leave an amazing tip.
I've known about Harry and Buds for years, but just have never been able to fit it in the schedule. This week both my wife and I were at home for one of those dreaded "stay cations" Â She asked if there was. Anything I wanted to do and I remembered Harry and Buds.
Showed up unannounced about 12:15. Three other diners were just being served. Jeffrey asked if we wanted something with beef, pork, shrimp or salmon. I chose pork and off he went. As he left he asked if we wanted soup. A minute later he asked if we liked scallops. Assured we did, he reminded us this would not be quick.
Somewhere the other side of an hour the food started arriving. Amazing bowl of black split pea soup, think with meat, maybe beef, on the side was a polenta thing covered with veggies, yummy.
A huge platter of pork, perfectly done over pasta, and snow peas, garlic and herbs. Anther platter of those scallops, mushrooms, whole garlic and asparagus. Â One more plate covered with a veggie torts and crepes. Then out came a brown rice risotto and wonderful crunchy bread.
Not just single servings, but platters of food. I was trying to think who I could invite on the spur of the moment to help us eat all the food.
Oh yeah, custard with fresh ganache
Intense favored, lots of fresh veggies. And we took enough food home for a week.
Call ahead, make sure he's there. 25 bucks per person.
Best meal I've had in a restaurant in Terre Haute. Maybe every.
Basically, Harry & Buds is awesome.
My boyfriend and I finally made the effort to get out there just a few days before moving far away, and it was a fantastic and magical surprise. We were the only ones there, and Jeffery (the super-gracious owner) was just hanging out listening to NPR when we walked in, which we continued to enjoy throughout our meal.
We opted for chicken as the basis for all the dishes and had soup as well (black bean), and then proceeded to have the largest amount of food for two people that I have ever seen, placed in front of us. It just kept coming, and all of it was delicious (and full of garlic, which I personally can't get enough of). The gnocchi was especially great!
The dessert was tough to fit in, but who can say no to freshly baked cookies with cranberries and Green & Black's chocolate chunks? Not this lady. And! Jeffery happened to be steaming some Boston brown bread, which I had never had before (dark and sweet with molasses), and it was almost like dessert topped with thick slabs of butter.
So go there. Stop putting it off because (and I only use a little bit of hyperbole) it is everything you have dreamed of.
This is such an amazing restaurant! The owner/chef/waiter/bus boy clearly takes immense pride in his work. He actually had to turn away a customer because he wanted to give the four tables there all of his attention. We waited a while for our food but knew from prior reviews it would be well worth it. He brought out two unique bowls of soup (I had the best black ran soup I ever had, my girlfriend had lentil). With the soup he brought a very large plate full of crepes stuffed with vegetables an meat. They were delicious and one of a kind. On the plate there was also fresh goat cheese and herbed green beans. He asked us if we like salmon and soon after brought out a plate full of salmon, pea pods, lentils and rice. The three other tables there were all eating something different. After a while, the other tables had left and we were the only ones left and he came out and talked with us for over a half an hour. He told us about the care he takes in his food, and some things I would have never known about terre haute. I told him I was worried about my car starting and he even offered us a ride home. This was truly an amazing experience and I cannot wait to go back.
Review Source:Wow! What a fantastic place. No sign, no menu, no one else but the owner and wonderful food.
The food we had was a mixture of middle eastern, Italian, and Portugal.
Awesome place and I'll go back.
His un-listed hours are typically 11:30 am to 4 pm, but he's willing to stay later if you give him advance notice.
Located across the street from the Community Theater.
What a rare find and delight to have learned about this place... Thanks to Yelp. If you're ever traveling thru Terre Haute, IN on the 70 it's well worth the 10 minute drive off the beaten path and across the tracks to get here. It was like we were paying a visit to family that prepared an entire feast of European delicacies just for us. We were the only one dining in this eclectic 50s style kitchen, and were surprised with each course and the amount of food left over to feed us for a week! From the olive tapenade and fresh French bread.... To the polenta with Colbert cheese sauce, proprietor Jeffrey prepares ingredients separately so you can taste the distinct flavor of each. Harry & Buds is a unique culinary and dining experience not to miss.
Review Source:Good call by other reviewers. I was traveling to Terre Haute on business and wanted a healthier choice for a lunch. Adventure is definitely the key word here. Because i did a little research, I got the impression that this wasn't a normal "look at the menu and order" type of place and I was correct, very correct.
Basically, it was like I dropped in on a friend and sat in his kitchen while he prepared a feast for me. I think his first words to me were, " How about something invoving salmon for your appetizer?" Sounds great!", I respond and we're off !
I had a delicious split pea soup with a potatoe/lentil? mixture resting on a bed of fresh arugula on the plate around the soup. Delicious! And for some people I know that would have been enough for lunch right there. Next came the appetizer he had hinted at, but it wasn't an appetizer, it was two generous portions of salmon filets on top of a pureed eggplant concoction, absolutley delicious - perfect combination of flavors, acccompamied by brussel sprouts and whole mushrooms, and a delicious loaf of fresh bread with a tasty brushetta type topping to heap on it.
Unbelievably, he drops down the main course almost at the same time and I know there's just no way, and I'm a huge eater. The main course came with me to go, but first I sampled one of the crepes involved. Absolutely melt in your mouth delicate texture (homemade of course) filled with a flavor- filled shredded beef, corn, and I can't remember what else, but it was fantastic. Again no shortage of vegetables as the crepes were joined by some nice asparagus. Oh, and a huge block of cheese. Only problem was, he offered me dessert bit I couldn't fathom fitting it in. I can't imagine what he would have brought out, but I'm sure I'd have liked it.
In summary: bizzare, unique concept of a restaurant, delicious, highly inventive, highly flavorful food, only twenty dollars for enough food to feed some for a week, unique proprietor, who I found to be very kind and entertaining. My first 5 star review, thanks Jeffrey.
What is there to say about Harry & Bud's? That it's pretentious? Yes, it has old New Yorkers scattered around just so and the owner has told me that some people won't like his place and he's glad about that. That it's weird? Yes, the decor ranges from old, humongous world maps to a bathroom wallpapered in culinary posters. There is no sign. There is no menu. There are rarely other customers dining with you. The owner is not there to entertain you with conversation, and he makes no bones about this. He hardly acknowledges your presence.
Harry & Buds isn't for everyone. And yet Harry & Buds is consistently the best restaurant I eat at with any frequency. The food transcends description; it is at both familiar and comforting and exotic and outlandish. For twenty dollars and a choice of two different entrees if you're lucky, the owner will take you on a culinary odyssey--salad, soup, bread, appetizer, entree, multiple sides, dessert--that you would be hard pressed to find in New York or Paris, much less TERRE HAUTE.
But I think Harry and Buds only exists because it is in Terre Haute; if it were anywhere else, it would be overrun and the atmosphere would be gone. Harry and Buds is the freest expression of good food that I have ever had the pleasure to experience. I recently moved to Bloomington from Terre Haute and have yet to find a restaurant that can match it. I will leave Indiana for California this fall for college and I doubt I will find its equal there, either. I doubt I will find it anywhere. I say this without exaggeration or hyperbole: Harry and Buds has made my life more complete and wonderful; it made me a better person, a happier person. It is an absolute good. Go now. Go often. Tip well.
Forget hole-in-the-wall, Harry & Bud's is more like a crack-in-the-wall, without even a sign to advertise the nature of the business behind the yellow brick. Â
Inside, I felt like I was sitting down in a friend's kitchen while they prepared a meal for my  girlfriend and me.  No menu, the chef/server/busboy gave us a choice of beverage, then asked what kind of cheese we liked.  As if that one fact could distill the essence of each of our palates, he returned to us with a hearty potato soup, the bowl hedged in with a colorful and tangy salad.  A warm mound of roasted vegetables (artichokes among other things) accompanied a wedge of a strange and complex-flavored cheese I'd never encountered before.  A crusty loaf of bread (also baked by the proprietor) also made an appearance along with a tomato-based chutney of some sort, tangy and flavorful.
After asking for a meat preference, he soon brought us plates of pasta tossed with veggies, including the most delicious roasted tomatoes I've ever encountered, and a plate of shrimp still jacketed in halves of their shells, bathed in a lovely sauce and mixed with more roasted vegetables. Â The mushrooms soaked up the sauce, and were utterly divine.
Having learned we were strangers to Terre Haute, he was happy to suggest diversions and venues in town for us.
What I felt was easily a 50 dollar meal was just 30 dollars for the two of us. Â And it was certainly better for us, and better tasting than more expensive meals I've had. Â Great value, great experience, tell your friends and give this man a chance to wow you.
Without a sign, behind the 70's block glass, and a small white door is a one-of-a-kind restaurant: Â like having a private chef, or a surprise lunch or dinner host. Harry and Bud's is fabulous. No menu. No prices. No ketchup or mustard on the tables. In their stead are rolled up Smithsonian magazines (truly food for the soul), and a quiet, peaceful atmosphere.
Jeffrey, its owner, is like the Willy Wonka of natural food! He  announces the culinary delights he plans to concoct, and you sit back, and for $20/person, can be WOWED by his prowess.
Everything is incredibly fresh, seasonal, and spicy. Our meal was vegetarian, though you can ask for chicken, if you want, which we did not.
We had gazpacho soup with fresh avocado; an incredible corn salad with bread crumbs and basil (AMAZING), and an asparagus, goat cheese, mushroom entree -- one that I can't quite sum up here -- but that filled me up and was incredible -- a showcase of local vegetables all expertly cooked -- which you would never know about from the chain restaurants in the area. The water is chilled from the bottle. Wonderful.
Harry & Bud's is a dream come true in a land of Applebee's, McDonald's, and Red Lobster. It's like being the only guests at a dinner party, and all the while, each bite showcases the natural goodness of the food. Â Jeffrey is also an unusual host: liberal, artsy, inquisitive but offering plenty of peace and quiet, and privacy for you to enjoy the meal. He came out, sat down, talked to us a bit about our lives, and read a bit while we waited for our food to cook.
Tip: Be sure to call ahead of time to make sure they're open. When my partner called, Jeffrey mentioned he was out picking flowers but would be back in time for us to come in (at noon) around lunch. :)
All in all, Harry & Bud's is a remarkable experience.
Tiny, hard-to-find place, but definitely worth the search. Harry and Bud's is a one-man operation that occupies a small unmarked building - no sign or posted hours make not only finding it, but finding it during a time when it happens to be open a bit of a crap shoot (if you're a glass-half-full sort of person you might think of it as an adventure). If you're lucky enough to stumble upon this gem while it's open you'll be treated to high quality food made to order and made fresh. The omelets are amazing and often served with asparagus and/or fresh oranges. The chicken salad is out of this world and the wide variety of entrees are unbelievably good. This is not the place to go if you're looking to grab a quick bite for breakfast or lunch, but if you have the time, the wait is so worth it. Come with friends and enjoy good conversation, or if you're alone, bring a good book while you wait. Harry and Bud's is one of the places I miss the most since I've moved from Terre Haute.
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