I loved HB- have been wanting to try it for awhile and am glad we did. The atmosphere is "homey' and warm, with exposed brick and low lighting. They play a lot of old rock songs in the background which were fun. We stayed for a few hours as it was a birthday dinner and were never asked to leave even though I think we may have stayed longer than they expected us to. Major plus that it's BYOB.
My friend and i split the mussels and trout, both of which were excellent. The sauce for the truffle fries was amazing too. It's great they change their menu seasonally and I'd like to go back in the spring.
SO happy with my meal at HB. Â Started with the fritters-- my friend called them heart attack comfort food at it's best. Â They don't jump at you, just warm and cozy with a bit of crunch. Â Delicious. Â I had the salmon and it was so delicate and flavorful and light I couldn't stop eating it. Â YUM! Â My friend had the veggie dish with big cous cous (can't recall their name for it) and it was more savory and acidic--- perfectly balanced and flavorful. Also incredibly delicious and a great complement to the salmon. Â We shared everything. Â We'd brought a great wine to share and it went with our meal perfectly. Â Too full for the bread pudding but eager to go back to try next time. May go on a Wednesday for their prix fix but HB is already so reasonable and regardless of price, so delicious. Â One of the best meals either of us had in a long time.
Review Source:HB Restaurant is great, I started a dinner club for some friends to tour Chicago with me based on the best food reviews. Â HB was our first stop. Â They have a $30 prix fixe menu that we enjoyed on a Wed. Â It's BYOB, and there is a great little wine shop down the street that I was able to stop and buy a great bottle from. Â
They only allow a max of six guests per party on prix fixe nights, which was a bummer, but turned to be perfect.
The staff was very friendly and patient, as we were all running late, the food was amazing and the atmosphere is really nice. Â I highly recommend coming to HB Restaurant. Â I cannot wait to come back.
So so so so GOOD! HB is just so wonderful and delicious! The service was phenomenal, and the food was just wonderful. Literally one of my favorites in Chicago! It is BYOB, so even though it is a little pricier, it's still very inexpensive all things considered. If you have not been you must go! It's the best in Boystown!
Review Source:i had HB on my "to do" list for at least two years now & finally went for my birthday, only to be sorely disappointed.
the meal went something like this (party of two on a thursday night):
- waitress ignored us for the first 10 minutes
- raved-about almond stuffed dates were... mediocre. small. barely warm. "meh, i've experienced better" is right
- i ordered the lamb meatballs. taste was good, but dish was lukewarm to cold; waitress did not check on us for at least 15 minutes after we had received meal
- asked to have the meatballs warmed up. waitress does not ask why i asked to heat it up; does not apologize at any point in the meal; does not even ask how we are doing or if we like our food
- mussels & fries were good
- the waitress & bus boy fight over the thermostat the entire meal. one would turn it up. 30 seconds later the other would turn it down. this went back & forth at least 15 times. we were seated next to a vent, which kept blowing cold drafts on us every time someone changed the thermostat
food tasted good, but the cold dish, awkward experience & bad service has moved HB to my "miss this" list.
I was going to give it 4 stars but I find myself still thinking about the great meal I had here. It was absolutely delicious!
What we had:
Almond Stuffed Dates - Yes! Get them. They tasted like Christmas... get them and you'll know what I mean.
Coriander Crusted Salmon - probably the best cooked Salmon I've ever had. And this is a healthier option.
I'd recommend trying the Rushing Waters Rainbow Trout, we didn't have it but the table next to us did and they said it was amazing.
The Lamb meatballs were good, but not the most memorable dish of the night.
There's no wine/alcohol, but the waiter suggested we go to 7/11 across the street to get something as it's BYOB. We got wine and were perfectly content in saving money.
I'm so torn, this place is one of my friend's all time favorite eats in Boystown and he was excited to take me there. I really wanted to be able to come home and write a stellar review...
Let's start with the good (and the good was indeed good). It's BYOB, to some a positive; I'm a Californian and I still haven't quite grasped the concept of BYOB (it seems weird), but I will try to get on board with the Chicagoan excitement of it. They were offering a prix fixe deal (appetizer, soup/salad, and entree) that was an awesome bargain. Between the two of us we got to eat a lot of food! I like that. I had the artichoke edam fritters with roasted garlic aioli, the Belgium endive salad, and the mussels and truffle fries. My friend had the almond stuffed dates, the Caesar salad and the special of the night - sausage over something (I can't remember the description). Our bill for both was $70 (pretty good deal for the amount of food you get).
Let's break it down:
artichoke fritters - ok, but very bland. I don't like my food salty, but I seriously wanted to add some salt to these. They were big and kinda fun to break apart with your fingers.
almond stuffed dates - they were good, better than the fritters, but average at best.
endive salad was exceptional! It included pears, goat cheese, pork jowl lardons, and a creamy walnut dressing. I would have been happy to end the meal here. Ok maybe the salad and a sample of their bread pudding! The salad was the best part of the meal and I would go back to try the other great salad combinations.
mussels - oh man, they were the worst I have ever had. They were piled high in a small bowl so most of them weren't submerged in the yummy beer broth, they got cold fast, many were still closed and more than half of the ones opened did not look friendly. I only ate about a 1/4 of the bowl before I pushed them aside. One of my favorite things about mussels is the big ass bowl, the delicious broth to dip a hunk of bread into and steaming mussels that go down smooth. I got none of that here.
truffle fries - omg, so addictive and good! Crispy, thin, tasteful.
The staff is amazeballs and attentive and funny and kind. The place is cozy, candlelit and in a great location to start an evening out in Boystown. I would like to go back and try some other items because the menu is creative and well thought out. Everyone has an off night and I am more than willing to give HB another go at it.
Great date night. Â Every single course we had was excellent. We started with the bacon wrapped dates stuffed with almonds and the escargot. Â We wanted to order more, but we knew we had more coming.
For dinner, the salmon was very light and healthy and had great flavors. Â My husband ordered the special, which was like a rabbit pot pie. Â It was very tasting - perfect for the season. Â
You HAVE to try the bread pudding for dessert. Â It was sooo good. Â I was so full and didn't even want to order dessert, but the second I tried a bite, I was so glad we did. Â Amazing flavors.
This place is perfect for a date night! Â Great service, great food, great ambience! Â The best is that it's BYOB so we could bring a wine we know we love and the bill was less than $100 for 2. Â Perfect!
Another tip: we had an a la card, which gave us $10 off (as long as we spent $25). Â Will definitely return!
13/365
Went here on a recent date night with the future hubby and it was lovely. BYOB is great, but its hard to match such a diverse menu!
Our food was very good. Not blow you away, I'll be back as soon as I can afford it good but very good. Considering it was only a week ago and I can't remember a single dish we had specifically, nothing really stood out. Thankfully they have their menu online to refresh my memory.
Almond stuffed dates wrapped in bacon. I didn't get the fuss over these. Has no one else tried stuffed dates before? Because these are exactly the same as everywhere else you've ever had a stuffed date. Are they good? Yes. Are they yelp worthy? I don't think so.
We had a special salad with a horseradish dressing and trout that was SOCLOSE to being incredible but just lacked a little bit. It was like they toned it down for the older clientele instead of fully unleashing the flavors. The smoked trout was a wonderful compliment to the dressing though.
I had the mussels and they were, well, mussels. I've had better and I've had worse but the truffle fries were quite good.
The special rabbit cassoulet my partner had was like a very rich rabbit pot pie without the crust. It was a perfect winter dish - filling, rich, warm and decadent. I think it was the highlight of the meal, even if it was a bit one-note.
As others have mentioned, the service is great. I wasn't as big of a fan of the dining room as it is very small. The chairs are also fairly uncomfortable which was a detraction for me from the meal. And finally, they don't have any way to block the wind so every time someone enters or exits the restaurant expect a blast of cold air.
All in all, I won't be rushing back because I look for something more unique in a restaurant meal.
Had an amazing and memorable date night here. I didn't want to deal with a super trendy place, just wanted great food in a cozy and intimate atmosphere. If that's what you're looking for, HB has it. We brought a couple bottles of wine and settled in to our table. To begin, they served us chunks of bread with the most sensational balsamic I've ever had. So. Good.
We started with the Belgian endive salad, which was definitely nontraditional, but very tasty. The sweetness of the pears balanced the goat cheese and hog jowl lardons very well. We also had the homemade Italian sausage and clams. Nom. The broth and Italian sausage were so flavorful, I literally did not want this dish to end. The boyfriend and I split the trout and the duck for our entrees. Neither of these are dishes we would typically order, but we trusted our waiter's opinion and were right to do so. Both were unreal, with so many elements and layers of flavor included in each dish. The proteins were cooked perfectly and the maple-orange-chilli pan sauce on the duck was really superb. We finished our dinner with the apple bread pudding that was on special, moist, not too sweet, perfect way to end the meal.
Two notable pluses about HB are that you do not feel rushed to get through your meal and leave, and that the BYOB element makes it very affordable. Truly recommend this spot!
Great food,reasonable prices, intimately small place for a date.
Food:4/5
atmosphere:4.5/5
decor:4/5
service:4/5
Here's what my bf and I ordered:
ALMOND STUFFED DATES as an appetizer
DUCK and CORIANDER CRUSTED SALMON
the stuffed dates were ok but not as much as I expected since lots of yelpers raved about them. It was too sweet for an appetizer ( and I have sweet tooth)
I didn't taste the duck but bf said it was good but not the best. I think he said that because he thought he ordered the lamb but for some reason the duck slipped out of his mouth when ordering and didn't notice until he got what he thought he had ordered.
The salmon was really good. There was no fishy smell as I always get when i have the salmon. It was a perfect harmony with the quinoa tabouleh that came with the dish.
Overall:
Great small place with a intimate atmosphere. I would go HB again with my bf for sure and we don't usually go somewhere we've already been but this deserves our second visit.
This place is amazing. Â It's my new favorite restaurant in Chicago. Â And it's BYOB. Â The Wednesday prix fixe meal is such a great deal and you get to try so much more. Â Service and staff were so nice and accommodating. Â Restaurant was nice and cozy. Â The food was delicious.
I had the mussels and ceased salad and almond stuffed dates. Â Everything was delicious. Â One of the best Caesar salads I've had. Â Some friends ordered the pork shank and the gnocchi. Â All delicious! Â Would go there again in a heartbeat.
I would love to give them 3 stars but they basically ignored me and my party of 9 the entire night. Â They promised us the table behind the host station and instead put us in the middle of the room with 8 settings. Â It was my birthday and they didn't put a candle in the desert and didn't even acknowledge me (the person who made the reservations) the whole night. Â They didn't ever come back to ask how we were doing with our food despite our accommodating their request to have the "family style" meal. Â WE accommodated THEM. Â I would also give them higher marks except the food was so close....but not there. Â It's really too bad because they have a very warm environment and a lovely sounding menu. Â If they had just not been so "snarky" about the menu..and not alienated me and my friends, I would cut them some slack on the food. Â Just because you offer BYOB doesn't give you the right to act like you're doing us a favor.
Maybe they had a bad night.
I don't remember what my friend and I ordered for our appetizers/entrees but they were tasty. What I DO remember ordering is HB's amazing bread pudding. I brought the rest of my leftovers home for the husband and told him that he could have the rest of my entree but he wasn't allowed to touch my dessert!
The space is a little tight but the delicious food and friendly service made up for it!
I wanted so badly to love this place but unfortunately, it didn't merit a 4 or 5 in my opinion.
Service - was efficient yet courteous. We were seated on-time for our reservation and water/bread etc. were promptly served.
Ambiance - cozy yet sophisticated.
Cost - fair, for the portions
Food - Loved my appetizer (clams) and dessert (bread pudding). Was so disappointed with my pork dish (no flavor at all, although the meat was tender) and my partner was also rated the skate wing as 'ok'.
I'd love to give this place another try. Maybe I will.
I just had one of the best meals of this year here. Â We had a far inferior meal at a big Michelin star place recently for far more money. Â The whole staff is kind and genuine, and the people are clearly passionate about the food. Â It blows my mind that this place doesn't have wider recognition, or a line out the door.
It's hard to find fine dining that's BYOB, especially as a vegetarian. Â They had proper glassware, decanted a bottle for me, and the food was truly spectacular.
We will be back soon, and I have gone out of my way to tell my foodie pals about this hidden gem.
We had plans to meet Yvonne and M here which was the good part, the bad part was that I had looked the restaurant up on Yelp and read that there was no Valet parking. Â Luckily, we were able to find a metered spot about two blocks away. Â You can only pay the meter for two hours which had expired by the time we got back to our car. Â The parking gods were in our favor, however, as we did not have a ticket. Â I mention this because if you can arrive via cab or public transportation, it might make your night a little easier. Â Coming from the southwest suburbs, this was not an option for us.
The restaurant is small, almost but not quite too small. Â I appreciated not having a table placed immediately next to mine but navigating getting to and from the table was not the easiest. Â We all had to make a trip to the "library" so this was a small issue.
Our server was friendly and quick, good about explaining things and very helpful with the bottles of champagne our table companions had brought. Â This was really a big plus because at a BYOB, these beverages did not increase the bill or tip. Â Take that into consideration when you tip, you got a service which isn't reflected in the bill.
I had the pork shank which was fall off the bone tender. It came with really delicious German potato salad. Â I also got to eat one of my wife's meatballs so I was very happy with the food. Â For appetizers we had the eggs and the anchovies. Â Again, I liked these the best so I got a lion's share. Â I am not even a big fan of anchovies but the really spicy pickled part made the dish for me. Â Only fair then that when dessert arrived, I didn't really care for the crisp that much so I only had a few tries and left it for my wife. Â
The food here is easily a five, the overall rating of four is based on the size of the restaurant, the noisiness which made conversation a bit challenging and the lack of valet parking. Â If I lived nearby and lost about a foot of height, this would be a five for sure. Â We'll call it a four point five.
HB rocks! It sure does. We had such a great experience from just calling to make the reservation, John returned my call almost immediately and we were set for a Sunday night party of 4 at 6pm. By 7pm, the place was already packed which tells you something about a place. The place has a very romantic ambiance, very quaint, small and intimate, perfect for a date night or a gathering with another couple. Our server was there immediately, he was super friendly and attentive. He opened up our wine right away which is a major plus about this place, byob and you are set!
He recommended the appetizer special which was deviled eggs with smoked trout, which was amazing, it was savory with a sweet element to it, and a sweet onion crunch on top, bunch of amazing flavors rolled into one, and I'm not even the biggest fan of deviled eggs, but these were truly special. Add them to your menu HB! Next we had the bacon wrapped dates which honestly weren't my favorite. They were good, but definitely better at places like Mercat a la planxa. I felt like the bacon was a tad on the fatty side instead of crispy, and I felt like instead of putting them in brown sugar, they should just be lightly sprinkled. For our main course we had the mussels and the fries with a garlicy mayo alioli sauce. Ooooh sooo yummy, they made up for the dates. They were better than the ones I had in Brussels which is known for mussels, (and the portion you get is enough for two people) and the fries I may have liked even more, super crispy, flavored perfectly and that mayo goodness. Okay, so how could we pass on dessert since everyone talks about their vanilla bread pudding and the one they had that night was an apricot preserve on top with cream, OH MY G. I was never a fan of bread pudding until I had HB's it was gooey, not overly wet, perfect texture and flavors. Definitely a MUST get! So overall, we had a fantastic experience with great service, even better food and a fun double date! The only issue is parking in this area, so come a little earlier unless you're one of the lucky ones who can walk to this place from your casa.
Sometimes I wonder what makes a restaurant excellent: is it characteristics of the restaurant or is it the company sharing your table? Perhaps an intricate combination of both? Well, for me, my food from HB was outstanding, our party of four conquered two bottles of champagne, and our company was glowing.
M and I met up with fellow Yelpers Kathleen M and Clifford S. Getting there was easy for me and M. We just took the 36 bus north and (due to construction) it was redirected along Halsted and dropped us off across the street from our destination. Kathy and Cliff had a harder time of it - their driving commute was an hour and a half from the southern suburbs. I don't know what they did about parking.
We all shared two appetizers: something with anchovies and deviled eggs. The anchovy appetizer came on a toothpick: anchovy, pickled pepper, and mozzarella cheese. The pepper really overpowered everything else. We were all surprised that we liked it as much as we did, but I doubt that anybody would choose to have an encore. The deviled eggs were my favorite - and I hate eggs. I probably liked them because the flavor was smokey and not any bit like eggs. That's actually the reason why M was less impressed - she prefers her eggs to taste like eggs.
Our entrees were all pretty varied: pork for Cliff, lamb meatballs for Kathy, mussels for M, and duck for me. Cliff's pork was falling off the bone because it was so tender. He seemed to enjoy it quite a bit. Kathy's meatballs weren't so great. She really disliked the polenta and she only ate one of her two meatballs. M and I both really enjoyed her mussels. They had lovely seasoning and did not taste fishy or dirty at all. But it was my duck that was really the shining star of the entrees. My duck had a crusty sear on top and was rare or medium rare in the middle. The flavor and texture were phenomenal. I also loved the side. I'm not sure what it was but it reminded me of gnocchi.
Kathy and Cliff shared a walnut berry crisp dessert and M and I shared an apricot bread pudding. Kathy and Cliff really didn't say anything about their dessert. Our bread pudding was burnt on the bottom and my favorite part was the apricots.
Our service was okay. Our server was kind enough to chill one bottle of champagne in the kitchen while providing an ice bucket at the table for the other. The people who came to our table were all friendly. We were impressed that our server remembered the specials while simultaneously pouring our champagne. I thought that they could have checked on us more often and also cleared away the regular wine glasses that cluttered our table. After all, we had both champagne and wine glasses on our table for nearly the entire evening.
The ambiance of the restaurant was rather casual and intimate. The space is small and noisy. The lighting was dim. The decor was a bit rustic and artsy, but nice. Some photographs were on the wall that were taken by one of the owners of HB. I thought the bathroom smelled like fish.
Our bill came to about $75 per couple. M thought that was good. In fact, she commented that she would enjoy going back there again and either ordering the duck or trying another entree. I'd say that the evening was really splendid for me as I got the benefit of good company and a scrumptious entree. I wonder if the evening might have been improved a bit for everyone else if the restaurant was just a hair more consistently luminous.
What a lovely dinner we had a HB Restaurant! Â We met two Yelp friends there who had luckily gotten a reservation and we were seated in the corner in a comfortable table. Â The space is very small but luckily tables are adequately spaced. Â The marvelous thing about this restaurant is that it is BYOB and in our case, BYOC - our table companions had brought two bottles of Champagne, only my favorite! Â The restaurant chilled it, served it, provided glasses and a bucket for it on the table. Â We had just amazing service as well.
We were feeling fun and festive so we ordered two apps - their deviled eggs and their anchovies, yeah! Â The eggs were the bigger hit, great flavors and a just a bit of texture on top.
I ordered the lamb meatballs for my main course and I have to stop being seduced by the word lamb, although I have had lamb meatballs other places and liked them. Â I was so sadly underwhelmed by my plate. Â The bed of polenta was so bland, and nothing in the dish had much flavor. Â Boo hoo for me as everyone else adored their entree and were nice enough to let me taste them. Â Delicious duck! Â Fabulous mussels! Â Mouthwatering pork! Â Â I had a bad case of menu envy. Â
I cheered myself up with coffee and half, okay more than half, of a walnut and something else crisp. Â So delicious. Â
All these positives and just my entree as the only not so great moment in an otherwise really fantastic night. Â It might not be my strongest five, but I gotta go with a five star rating!
Overall a fab experience!
Reservations highly recommended especially during the weekends. Our waitress was super friendly and gave me the name of the sauce that I told her tasted like 'sriracha meets heaven'. Even though me and my husband are vegetarians, she patiently briefed us our options and said that she'll be able to throw in a couple of sides from other entrees aside from the one veggie option they feature. We started of with artichoke and edam fritters with aioli (5 stars), the wheat berry salad with roasted beets and smoked onion vinaigrette (5 stars) and the fregola dish (again 5 stars!). We got a side of quinoa tabouleh with raita and squash spaetzle that made me too full to try dessert. The co-owner is into photography and so beautiful black and white pictures of Lake Michigan clicked by him decorate the walls. Loved our experience and will be back when they have more veggie options.
Went to HB Bistro after work to try something a little different. Was the first one in at 5:30 and was happily greeted by a jolly man who I assumed to be the owner. They quickly put. Read and balsamic on the table. The bread was a bit dry but the balsamic was outstanding. Although I wish it had come with some olive oil.
Wednesdays they have a $30 prix fix so I took the plunge and started with the almond stuffed bacon wrapped dates. They came on a bed of brown sugar. The sugar made them a bit grainy. I would've rather the brown sugar in glaze form to add another texture.
My waiter suggested the pork shank entree. I give it a solid 5 stars. One of the best entrees I've had in a while. It came on a bed of apple purée and cranberry and a side of German style bacon potato salad. The potato salad was also a winner. Every bite had a chunk of bacon. (I know, a pork heavy meal) definitely split-able. I only ate half. But deeeeelish!
Hb Bistro is known for their bread pudding so of course that's what I had to get. The special was chocolate cherry. So good. So so good. Get it!
I would come back just to have the pork shank and bread pudding. Skip the aps.
Come here. We started with the almond-stuffed, bacon-wrapped dates, and the fried oysters with grits. Both were pretty fucking excellent. As entrees, I went for a pork shank, she went for a seafood special. We were both impressed. We could barely finding space for dessert, but chocolate bark is thin enough to not take up much room, right? We went for that. I think it had hazelnuts and sea salt, and was delicious. It looks like the menu changes frequently, so don't get too attached to the idea of eating what I ate, but I'd be confident you'll get an excellent meal and friendly service.
PS. I left a voicemail requesting a reservation for the same day, and they found me a table. As we were eating, the restaurant filled up, so we might have got lucky -- I advise booking a few days ahead if you can.
4 and a half stars!!
Took my man for his birthday dinner here. Its a lovely little place - quaint and cozy. Loved the photographs adorning the walls and also the quotes :) It is a BYOB place - which is a huge plus. We got a good bottle of wine with us for the dinner.
They serve complimentary bread with balsamic. They should sell the balsamic stuff in a bottle - I would totally buy it!! Â We started with the assorted olives and the Artichoke and Edam fritters - OMG, I was in food heaven when I tasted the fritters. They were super delish - a fantastic start to the dinner.
For the main course my hubby ordered the vegetarian dish which was the Fregola and I ordered the mussels in the beer broth with anise and they came with truffle fries. The mussels were delicious!!! Â It is their signature dish and they do not disappoint - they were probably the best mussels I have ever eaten. The fregola was also very delicious and flavorful.
The reason I take away half a star is because of the lack of vegetarian choices. I appreciate the vegetarian entree that they have (it is delicious), but they should consider adding maybe 1 more vegetarian entree.
Our friends who live in Lakeview wanted to go out to eat near their neighborhood when we visited them for the weekend. After much yelping, I decided on HB. As noted elsewhere, it is small and very cozy, in addition to being BYOB. Pretty neat little place. We were able to have an 8pm reservation, and were told that it was only two hours because of a 10pm seating. Well, there was no 10pm seating, because we stayed until 11pm and there was really not many people there when we left.
I really enjoyed our server - he was knowledgeable, friendly, and attentive.
We ate a lot. Started off with three appetizers for the four of us - the edam and artichoke fritters, the escargot, and the friend oysters. Well, just about anything fried is delicious, but so were the other two dishes. The oysters came with some very good polenta (one of the better polentas I've had) and some chili vinegar to give some great balance to the dish. The escargot was tasty, and the fritters were fine.
We then had the lamb meatballs and a pork shoulder steak special. The special came with wild rice, and was good but not outstanding. It was a very large piece of flavorful meat, but seemed to be cooked in a strange way - then again, how often do you see pork shoulder cut as a steak? Not often. The wild rice did not seem to be a good compliment to the meat. The lamb meatballs, though, were great. Wonderful total composition of the dish - juicy and flavorful meatballs, great polenta as noted above, and the chutney that it came with really sealed the deal.
After eating all that? Well we got dessert (we had four bottles of wine by this point). We split the bread pudding and the chocolate bark, which were the weakest part of the meal. Pretty average - I wouldn't recommend the dessert.
Overall, HB is a great place. Small, intimate, warm, good food, and BYOB.
What's in a name? In this case. A lot. HB stands for Home Bistro.
You get the bistro vibe from the stylish decor, candlelight, and elegant furnishings. The Home aspect that it's so small, cozy, and the service is very welcoming and never contrived, rushed, or executes missteps.
The establishment epitomizes both names.
And did I mention it's BYOB?
I've been here several times and it's always consistent. I'm by no means a Dutch food expert but it seems authentic with a contempory twist. Since I've been several times I will only highlight my faves:
The bread
Don't laugh, it's good and you'll need it later to sop up some of the sauces.
Almond stuffed bacon wrapped dates baked with brown sugar
A must order! Unless you're a vegetarian or have dietary restrictions; then order and give to me, then get the hell away.
Amsterdam style mussels in beer broth, anise, dried basil, garlic and served with truffle frites.
Their signature dish. It's good. The portions are large.
Trout special with veggies and I believe cous cous or risotto/rice
He found the portion small and the flavors monotonous. I liked the taste and presentation.
The menu is small and specials change quite often. I feel for me there's an element of risk ordering since some items seem exotic. Further, it'd be difficult to ask for substitutions with out fear you'd destroy the integrity of the dish (since most are complex).
However, I recommend it as an adorable spot for a date or friend session. And like that they take nicer and unique cuisine and present it in an accessible way.
Lives up to the name!
We were greeted super warmly and seated at the time of our reservation. Server David was just as warm as he uncorked and poured the bottle of wine that we brought. Â He remained solidly attentive throughout dinner, and bussers kept our water glasses filled.
Table bread came out right away; chunks of soft focaccia with balsamic. Â We requested butter also, and this lightly herbed bread disappeared pretty fast.
Artichoke & Edam Fritters - perfect temperature (not mouth scorching hot) smooth, melty cheese and artchoke pieces in a crispy crust, served with creamy aioli and a lemon wedge. Â Texturally cheesy and delicious! Â
Rabbit & Spaetzle - chunks of white meat rabbit, with a large serving of fresh spaetzle, red onions, cremini mushrooms and red onions. Â Yum!
Bouilliabase - a gorgeous presentation of clams, mussels and shrimp in a lightly tomatoey broth. Â Delicious!
Smoked Hog Jowl - a grownup grilled cheese sammich with a crispy slice of pork, caramelized onions and slices of ripe tomato on chewy whole grain bread, served with skinny truffle fries. Â The sweet onions and salty pork played against each other nicely, and the crunchy grilled bread exterior was really good.
Berry Bread Pudding - freshly whipped cream-topped, almost candied-feeling berry studded bread pudding, moist and eggy and warm, with a layer of bruleed-feeling sugar on top. Â Yummmm!
The atmosphere was dimly lit and warm, somewhat on the loud side with the background music, with flickering tea lights on the tables.
What a warm dinner experience! Â I'd definitely come back - possibly to try the trout.
Flashes of brilliance in a field of duds and a scene-stealing appearance by the salt monster.
The good - great, actually, the corn off the cobb salad was excellent. Â Great fresh flavors, textures, balance. highly recommended. Â The BYOB approach is welcome. I'd like to see more of that on the left coast.
The not so good - my sausage and clams over polenta could have been great - the housemade sausage was perfectly seasoned with just the right crumbly chewiness and the broth had a meaty richness. Sadly the clams were overcooked and the salt monster killed the entire dish. Â Dud #2 was the smoked salmon gazpacho... the broth tasted like, well, watered vinegar. Â The smoked salmon was good but drowned. Â my wife's rabbit and spaetzle was embarrassing. Â Looked like they didn't have enough rabbit on hand, and it was b-l-a-n-d. Must have been handled by someone other than the Salt Chef.
Desserts were good, others have reviewed them better than I could.
Friendly and knowledgeable waitstaff, but the busing was untrained... we had to protect what was on the table if we didn't want it to disappear prematurely - mr. speedy even got our Gourmet Grape wine bag from beside a chair, which we needed at the end of the meal. Â And WHAT? Â WHAT DID YOU SAY??? Â HUH???? yes, the room is very hard and noisy, in desperate need of some soft absorbent surfaces... somewhere.
I was really looking forward to our visit to HB. Â Sorry I can't recommend it.
This BYOB reminds me of the hole-in-the-wall restaurants in Philly--the kind you stumble upon and feel ridiculously lucky for finding. It's really cozy, homey, and everything on the menu is amazing.
Notes:
-Start with the bacon wrapped dates. Always.
-All the appetizers are delicious, and have pretty much tried them all. The oysters, however, are exceptional.
-Can't go wrong with the rabbit and spaetzle.
-Their bread pudding dessert is really tasty if you can make it to the dessert portion of the meal. Highly, highly recommend.
-Parking is not easy to find, so build in some time.
-Make reservations, you will most likely be in for a long wait if you don't. Sundays are the possible exception.
I'm tinkering between 3 and 4 stars. HB Restaurant wasn't bad by any stretch, but it wasn't amazing. I'd equate it to going to eat at a friend's house whose mom was a pretty good cook. Notice I said "pretty good." Maybe my expectations were too high?
It's small and loud, which is fine with me. Adam R. and I were immediately seated for our 8 pm reservation on Wednesday, with plans to indulge in their $30 prix fixe menu. I loved the menu, by the way. It's diverse and eclectic. We started with the veal sweetbreads and escargot. The sweetbreads were pretty good, but super salty... salty exterior, and super salty hummus. The escargot were prepared in a stew-like sauce with lots of crushed tomatoes and garlic. I'd never had them this way, and I liked them... comforting, home-y.
For my entree, I had the hog jowl. I'm sorry, I really wish that the menu described it as a "sandwich" because that's what it is: an elevated BLT. It came on two slices of whatever bread, with more tomato than meat. The meat itself tasted and looked like bacon. I don't know, I was not expecting it at all. It tasted pretty good, but not mind-blowing by any means. Adam R.'s chicken thighs were a much better choice. They were savory and sweet (just like him! ...) and he really enjoyed them. My dish came with truffle fries which were probably the highlight of the meal. Perfectly crispy and delicious.
For dessert, he ordered bread pudding (with some sort of berries in it, I can't remember) and I had the candy bar. Both were good, but not great.
The food at HB Restaurant is fantastic - they focus on fresh and seasonal choices for their menu, and have a series of specials outside of the regular menu that change on a daily basis.
Came here with a couple girlfriends for dinner before heading out for drinks - we were running late so I called ahead and let the restaurant know that we would be about 15 minutes after our initial reservation. Â When we got to the restaurant, we were seated immediately, however service was pretty slow after we were seated.
We started with the edam fritters which were tasty if not particularly spectacular. Â I had the fried catfish with grits and okra for my entree - it had really good flavor, and the fish was moist and flaky. Â My friends ordered the salmon with quinoa and the mussels - both were very well prepared (I sampled them both).
For dessert we had this slab of dark chocolate candy with cayenne, green pumpkin seeds, and fleur de sel. Â It was the perfect ending since we were all stuffed after our entrees.
All in all, I would recommend HB Restaurant for a small dinner (or a romantic date) - the food is really good - just remember to bring a few bottles of wine with you to enjoy while waiting between courses.
Love, love, LOVE this place!
Friendly service, great atmosphere, BYOB and the $30 prefixed menu (Wednesdays) is one of the best deals in the city. I went with a large group so it took longer than normal between courses, but everything we had was delicious. A few of the standouts:
-Artichoke & Edam fritters
-House smoked pork jowl
-Sautéed little neck clams
-Coriander crusted salmon
-Pork special
Couldn't be happier!
Rabbit and spaetzle is on the menu. Delicious. I had to remind myself to eat this slowly so I could savor every bite. By no means does that imply that this was a lean portion- it was just right.
One of the specials was Pork Tenderloin with a currywurst sauce on potato salad. RIch and (also) delicious. My g/f got it  with the promise we'd trade if the curry was too overpowering. She shared but never said it was overwhelming to her taste buds.
Friends with us had the same and also got the truffle fries. Very good and definitely NOT oversalted.
HB is fantastic because
- the service is exceptional
- the menu items are creative, unusual, and tasty
- the ambiance & decor is tasteful and inviting
- its a BYO
Let me elaborate on the service, the staff was happy, kind, and attentive. Our waiter was the owner of the restaurant. He smiled the entire time and enthusiastically offered recommendations and advice on what to order. We were at our table for quite awhile but no one ever tried to rush us. I also happened to forget my credit card. When I stopped back to get it, the card was safely locked away in a safe AND our waiter stepped outside to recommend various bars in the area to try. The service is what earned HB 5 stars.
Now, of course, the food is good too! We shared a swordfish special with green beans and couscous served in a sort of teriyaki sauce that was delicious. We ordered the artichoke fritters, but they were just okay for me. They are very rich. Â We also tried the fried soft shell crab, veggie burger, and beef sausage. Highlights- the crab comes on a bed of melon, mint, and ricotta cheese that was delicious! The veggie burger came with the most fabulous French fries and tomato jam= awesome. Lastly, the entire beef sausage entree was excellent- imagine a marriage between a Polish sausage and a hamburger. That is the dish I would absolutely order again.
HB provided a wonderful Friday evening dinning experience.
Let me start by saying that I rarely write bad reviews on yelp. Â Even when I have a negative experience at a business, I prefer to write positive reviews for good experiences instead. Â
I've been to HB at least two dozen times and have always enjoyed the food, service, and ambience. Â I've brought friends, dates, and family members and have recommended this place to many people.
I brought my boyfriend there for the first time last Tuesday, June 12th. Â It was his birthday. Â He is a classically trained chef who has worked all over the world. Â I have worked in the restaurant and bar industry for over 20 years, myself. Â We will never return to HB again.
We started with the charred asparagus and the fried oysters. Â The charred asparagus was served cold, which was fine, we just expected the dish to be served hot due to the verbage on the menu. Â The dressing on the asparagus was far too garlicky which made fininshing the appetizer impossible. Â The fried oysters were good, but the grits they were served over were full of hard lumps. Â
We didn't complain about either dish, because it just isn't our style. Â I was trying to save face as I had raved about the restaurant to my boyfriend for weeks before taking him there.
On to the main course: Â My boyfriend ordered the rabbit leg confit with spatzle and two kinds of peas (two?) Â The rabbit leg didn't really seemed to be confit and was shredded throughout the dish. Â We assumed it would be whole. Â It was very dry and rather tasteless and the spatzle was quite rubbery. Â He managed to choke about half of it down.
I ordered the lamb belly and eggs with spring onion kim chee. Â My lamb belly was so salty and tough, I couldn't stomach more than one bite. Â The kim chee was also inedibly salty. Â What a waste of spring onions! Â The deep fried poached egg was delcious, however. Â When the owner or manager (not sure which) noticed I wasn't eating my entree, he came over to see what the problem was. Â I politely explained that the dish was just too salty for me. Â He picked up the plate and rudely informed me, "Five other people ordered this dish tonight and no one else had a problem with it." Â ARE YOU KIDDING ME??? Â That comment alone changed a bad experience to a never coming back again experience. Â I've honestly never been more insulted in a restaurant, especially by the guy running it.
Like I wrote earlier, my boyfriend and I aren't the type to complain or get upset at a restaurant, so we simply paid the check and left. Â I don't know if there's a new chef here, or if it was his day off, or what exactly was going on that night but insulting a guest is completely inexcusible. Â Perhpas he was drinking another table's bottle of wine in the back. Â Regardless, you lost a valuable customer that night HB.
The 5 best restaurants in the 2015 Denver Restaurant Week
3,611 Views | Category: Denver
The complete list of 2015 Denver Restaurant Week businesses
1,972 Views | Category: Denver
The tourists' guide to Portillos: 5 must have dishes
3,318 Views | Category: Chicago
Pho = Pronounced "fuh" not "foe" for pho-king sake
2,915 Views | Category: Denver
Indulgery selected to exhibit at Collision Conference
2,987 Views | Category: Press Releases
Not Logged In
BUSINESSES
Local Businesses
Near Me
My Favorites
SOCIAL
Blog & News
MY ACCOUNT
Login
Register
Contact Us
Add Your Business
