Houlihan's - Pittsburgh

I came here for a baby shower. The shower was great! The restaurant was very very dark inside and not very welcoming. The service was as good to be expected considering they had 40 people to serve. I ordered the fish tacos. They were good. It didn't blow me away enough to want to return.

We ordered takeout from here and and were extremely disappointed. It is one of the only ones in the area located at the Galleria. There is plenty of free parking in the garage and the place is huge. This would be a great place to go with kids and or a large group. The menu is extensive with many options. I went with the roast beef French dip and it was not good. They piled on deli roast beef that was thinly sliced with melted cheese on a soggy bun even though the horseradish sauce was on the side. I got mashed potatoes as my side which were excellent thank goodness. My husband got a chicken sandwich which looked delicious but the chicken was so fatty he could not eat it. Luckily he got the three course meal option and had wings as an appetizer which were good. The cheesecake dessert was also very tasty. Unfortunately we will be skipping this place in the takeout rotation.

Years ago, Houlihan's used to be a really trendy place to go and we frequently did. It's been awhile since we've dined there and we won't be returning. First, I want to say that our service was absolutely 5 star. The waiter was friendly, accommodating, professional and attentive. However, that's where the positivity ends. They seem to have switched to the refillable glass bottle for their water like some other restaurants have. Usually, this adds tons of convenience and we enjoy not having to wait for refills. However the stench and taste of the presented water made us question if it was even safe for consumption. It smelled and tasted like sewage. We aren't sure if the bottle itself doesn't get clean enough, if it doesn't get dry or if the water is just that bad. We opted not to continue drinking it and instead ordered other drinks. We ordered our meals and we both used the restroom. The odor outside of the restroom was absolutely horrific. It continued inside the restroom. It smelled worse than any porta potty I've ever encountered. I held my breath as much as possible. They seem to be aware of the smell as there are air fresheners inside the actual restrooms. It again, smells like sewage. For as long as I can remember, their bathroom has had an unpleasant smell and was dirty, however this time, it was absolutely unbearable. It seems like their plumbing problem has significantly worsened over the years. The cleanliness of the bathroom was also extremely worrisome. It was absolutely disgusting. It seems like it doesn't ever get actually cleaned. The floors, walls and even sink were just caked with nastiness. We were so grossed out, that we literally discussed leaving for fear of the kitchens cleanliness. We returned to our booth and started noticing how filthy that was too. There was hair, crumbs and other dirt visible in the booth seams. The table itself wasn't cleaned. At this point we were gagging and didn't know what to do. Our food arrived and everything had a very weird taste to it, it made us too nervous to eat the food so we opted not to. It wasn't worth becoming sick over. We paid our check (it wasn't the waiters fault) and left and had dinner at another restaurant inside the galleria. When public spaces in a restaurant are grimy, you have to seriously consider how disgusting non-public spaces (aka the kitchen) might be. If people aren't taking the care to clean the tables or the restrooms, then I have to question whether or not my food is being prepared in a sanitary way. I genuinely hope that Houlihan's gets the deep clean that they need and figure out whatever plumbing issues they are dealing with. The galleria is now home to all kinds of great new restaurants and they are all clean and smell free. They won't be able to compete.

I hate writing these kind of reviews, because I always try to find the positive in restaurant experiences having worked in the service and restaurant industry as a Server/Bartender for 10+ years. I know the nuances of restaurants, and how seemingly innocuous things spiral into, or are exhibits of a larger problem or lack of training. This was the case yesterday. I was seated promptly, though the girl at the Hostess stand could have gave two shits as I walked passed her without a word or a smile. Too busy texting. Oh well. Found my way to the patio where I was seated by a young chap, forget his name, but he looked no older than 16. Nice kid. Until he started crushing some snacks while walking around to tables. I get it you work in a restaurant You're constantly surrounded by food you're not allowed to eat, that you in fact for hours on end, have to give to other people so they can eat. In my experience there are certain non negotiables in the industry and that includes eating food in front of guests, carrying and eating food in front of guests, and drinking drinks in plain view of guests. This guy was seemingly more interested that his group of teen somethings had come to hang out at his new establishment and forgot some basic restaurant etiquette. This is actually a good teaching point for the Manager should he read this. If you want to work, work. If you want to hang out with your friends, great. But it's somewhat hard to do both when you're busy. We all make mistakes. I once got fired from a place because my manager told me I could have a drink at the bar after my shift on my birthday, and the owner came in and fired me on the spot. Things happen. It looks really bad when an employee is walking around to tables eating food that I hope wasn't from a guests plate, but it bothered me enough that I couldn't stop wondering what else went on here. This guy also was walking around with a styrofoam cup drinking from it frequently visiting his friends, at one point sitting down with them. Maybe they gave him the snack. It was just awkward. Keep employee food and drinks out of sight of dining customers.

I've always loved Houlihans I have a mixed review for my visit yesterday. Pros: the service is always the best. Yesterday was no exception. Chelsea was attentive without being intrusive. Whoever was cooking knows how to cook chicken! I'm low carbing and I got the Brentwood chicken sandwich and ditched the bun. The chicken was grilled and had that perfect black grill mark and taste in the outside and juicy inside. Not easy to accomplish. I loved my lunch! Cons: water with no ice is big in other countries. They have the water glasses sitting on the table already and they bring a bottle of water for the table to share. The water had a funny taste and without ice, it wasn't cold enough. It's a nice concept, but doesn't work. The side salads used to be a full portion. Yesterday it was a very tiny portion. This place isn't cheap, and they need to give full portions. Overall, I still love Houlihans. I'll be back. : .