Came here for a birthday party and left feeling like this should be a 5 star place. they have about 8 beers on tap, about $5 a bar (not bad) and actual good live music. As for the food: I had their Garlic Parmesan wings (excellent and it comes with fries) as a starter. For my meal I went with the ribs and steak (both are simply great, ribs are fall off the bone and steak is just great). along with their fries ( some of the best fries you are going to have). A lot of people in the party ordered the all you can eat option and that also seemed like a good option because if you pay for one of the high end all you eats, they will let you eat the options that are of lower price also. Everything here is like i said great, the only reason why they didn't get 5 stars is service. Now it was a good amount of people in here, but nowhere near packed. The order time was ridiculous with the average wait time for a meal at 2 hours after we order (and some being three). During the time of wait, it was all around bad service by the staff (with the exception of one lady who tried her best, even though she wasn't the waitress for our group). they didn't even try at times. Now that's why they got four stars (really should be 3.5 stars). Great food + Bad Service=eating here at your peril.
(4)
Food E.
I just went for a quick lunch, but the menu looks pretty awesome. Had butterfly shrimp and they were cooked perfectly. Not tough or rubbery, but as if they were fresh, when I'm not sure that's the case. Bartender Jeff was super nice, even after he found out I'm a Cardinals fan...
(4)
Justin D.
Terrible atmosphere and service. Food sucks too.
(1)
Dan B.
Ah, came here right before a baseball game. It wasn't all that busy. There were 3 or 4 servers hanging around, but the service was absolutely awful. Some places simply don't deserve a second chance. This is a simple seafood and dinner place. It's not terribly priced, and the food isn't bad. However, the service was so bad, I couldn't even consider coming again. Waitress failed to accurately take orders, failed to fill glasses, failed to check up on table, and even failed to bring back correct change. It was wierd. She did this as every table. Frankly, it was so light a single person could wait on us and cook our dinners with good service. Here, they just don't care. A table beside us had to go up to the bar to get their drinks refilled. The table in front had their orders screwed up. I have worked in a seafood restaurant (and Im not saying that in a snobbish way). It's not that difficult, especially when there are only 3-4 tables that are being served.
(1)
Carolyn E.
I am so glad I gave this place another try. The music was actually really good this time without a cover charge, and we ordered entrees instead of the all you can eat, and the food was great. We started with the spicy garlic wings which were awesome! I love wings and I try them everywhere, and I'd definitely order these again. We each ordered the Fisherman's Platter and chose the fried catfish, fried shrimp, and shrimp scampi. Everything was perfect, there was tons of food, and they only cost $17.99. The service was also very good, and the crowd was fun. The kitchen is open until midnight during the week which is a real bonus for me, so we'll definitely be back! No chain seafood restaurants for us!
(4)
Sarita M.
My oh my. What can i say but that was by far the worst service i have ever had. While the server was nice he was sooooo swamped that he was completely overwhelmed. They need to add about 5 servers to even to begin to combat the rush. The food on the other was magnificent, a great tribute to sea food. I would like to give this place more stars but both the ambiance and service were just too terrible.
(2)
Tinotenda S.
Great Food, loved it but terrible terrible service. Never had to wait so long for my food. 5 stars for the food and 1 star for service.
(2)
Candiss W.
This is my go-to place for lobster mac and cheese. I've had lobster mac from many places, but Harbor House has my favorite in the Detroit Metro Area. It's creamy, luxurious and filled with lobster, with a yummy crispy Panko crust. It's awesome! I also enjoy their crab cake. It's well done with big chunks of crab and just enough breadcrumbs to add texture without detracting from the overall composition of telnet cake. As I type this, I'm seriously thinking about going downtown to pick up both of these. Hmmmm, maybe I can convince my hubby to run and get me a carry out. The service here is usually pretty good and the food is always fresh and hot. They often have live music and the pours are generous. If you haven't been, now is the chance to try it out.
(4)
Lou D.
Harbor House is my go-to restaurant for dinner when I'm staying at the Hilton Garden Inn across the street. My favorite meal is the Low-Country Tilapia with a bowl of Gumbo and a Michigan Salad, but everything I've had there has been great. It only matters what you're in the mood for, even if it is lobster! The kitchen knows it's stuff and the staff is very friendly and efficient. As a bonus ... they have great live entertainment almost every night and the kitchen is open well past 10 pm if that is important to you. Check their website for the entertainment lineup harborhousemi.com/schedu… .
(4)
Rachel M.
Middle of the road. We came here kind of late so we missed out on the AYCE section that my date was interested in but that was okay with me. Our waitress, Mercedes, was attentive and efficient. I had the lobster and my date had a rib and steak with crab add-on. I can't remember what the other couple we dined with had, but they liked their food. Personally, I had had better and I felt that my "presentation" lettuce on my plate looked rather wilted/old. I don't eat any of that anyways so it's not like I cared but I kind of felt like it was an "end of the night/throw whatever's left on" situation which is kind of icky to me - they could have just left it off. Anyways, it was lobster - nothing special about it really to make me return here over other seafood places but my date was really excited about his food so I'm sure I'll end up giving it another try sometime. Our return will be his choice, rather than mine, but I won't be upset over it either. It was kind of loud and there was a band with quite a few drunk bar patrons in the house. It didn't bother us any, actually it was amusing, but I could see how that might be an issue for some... or an issue period with the wrong group of drunk people. I did NOT like that for our party of 4, there was gratuity added. I tip. I know how to tip. However, forcing me to tip (and I am fairly certain it was 20% rather than the normal 17-18% that places add.) Even though 20% is generally my starting point for good service, I really don't like when places do that on small parties. Usually, it's an indication that service is generally pretty bad here - although that wasn't the case in this case. One major tip: The soup, black eyed peas with collard greens and sausage is amazing! Try it. The three of us that did all loved it!
(3)
Rachael B.
My husband and I love coming downtown to eat here. It's one of our favorites. The all you can eat is usually pretty good, fills us up. Although to save money I'm sure, they shrink your portion size every time you order something. The lobster mac and cheese is good as well. We will definitely be back.
(4)
Terri C.
Great seafood locally owned pub style bistro with a live band thatmwe're great. Food was awesome and great atmosphere.
(5)
Shae C.
We went for dinner last night and I was pleasantly pleased! The ambiance of the establishment is wonderful. A combination of fine dining and casual pub style makes for a comfortable, relaxing atmosphere. The manager (whose name escapes me) was wonderful! He waited on us personally. I had the crab cakes as an appetizer which I shared with my 13 year old daughter. She loved them, they were ok, but I could have done without the whole corn kernels in them. My lamb chops however MORE than made up for them! They were absolutely PERFECT! The yellow rice that comes with it was delicious. My daughter had the jambalaya which she said was amazing. They also have a delicious cinnamon butter that comes with the bread that was so good we needed a second basket. The gumbo was delicious as well. I can't believe I had never been here before yesterday! I'll definitely be back soon!
(4)
RE A.
The Best Seafood restaurant downtown. Fast friendly service. Everybody gets treated like family. Great menu great bar, live jazz band entertains on weekends. Highly Recommended.
(5)
monica b.
Good food, great atmosphere. We need more places like this downtown. Give it 4 stars for food and quality, but i wasn't impressed w/ the service that i would only rate 3 stars.
(4)
Kelsy K.
Awesome food at great prices! Every time we go to Detroit for sporting events we always stop here after. Some of the best seafood I have ever had! Can't wait to go back!
(4)
Zane M.
The food is not good . You can eat all you want but who would want to eat it. It is cheap and salty food.
(1)
Xiang C.
went back to harbour after several months and experienced the same charm and ambience. love them. had steak bites, and the side with the lovely goat cheese. cheers harbor house. xiang cclc
(5)
Mick K.
My girlfriend and I have been coming downtown to the Greektown area for years. It was about a year ago that we stumbled upon the Harbor House. She has an expensive pallet and I have a love for fine whiskey and Michigan craft beers. We are both satisfied when we go to Harbor House. She loves the Crab Legs and the Lobster Mac & Cheese and I am always please with their Steaks, Ribs, Lamb Chops or just a burger. Last night was different experience for us. We usually dine early and have never caught the entertainment. Last night we started later and caught the band which must of had 10 members playing swing and jazz. The quality of music was incredible. At about ten o:clock the lights dimmed, TV's were turned off and when the music began we had another experience we did not expect and rather than giving our donation to the casino we stayed all night at Harbor House. Good Job guys we will now be back even more often. I just found your website and music schedule! Bonnie did a great job with service also.!
(5)
John C.
Gone downhill, way downhill. I've done AUCE snow crab at pretty much every place you can in the area. We've been going to HH for years. It HAD been the place to go for the best AUCE crab legs quality wise. Big, meaty crab legs - the only issue is the price. HH was always the most expensive, but the crab legs were truly top quality. But the last time we went the price went up to $38 pp (from $34) but that wasn't the worst part the quality went way down. I'm talking Chinese buffet quality - small, ugly, water logged, tasteless. The manager tried to tell us this was the worst time for crab legs and they couldn't get any good stock of legs in, come back in a few weeks, yada yada yada. SO TAKE THEM OFF THE MENU IF YOU CAN'T GET QUALITY CRAB. With the bill in the $150+ range his offer was a $25 gift certificate - for one of us! Woohoo - we get to fight over who gets the $25. Hey guess what? We won't be back. Your $25 gift certificate will be sold on craig's list.
(1)
Mary Beth G.
Just arrived in Detroit for 3 day conference. Staying at Hilton Garden. I asked front desk person where to eat lunch. She walked to front door and pointed. Asked Danielle what was popular she said Big Fish lunch special ...A+. Fantastic batter, good size fish, tartar sauce, exceptionally good cole slaw, with wonderful fries. Asked for hot to order and I got it. A+ fries. Refilled my water. Great service. Yep, you got to try it! Music after 10:00pm with $5 cover. I will be back...
(5)
Vanessa W.
Crab legs, ribs, fried green tomato crab cake saganaki stacked appetizer, fried rock shrimp!
(5)
Thomas L.
Have been here numerous times for various reasons and overall each and every experience has been above average. They do have good happy hour drink specials especially before tiger games. Food has always been excellent, try the catfish bites or the ribeye and shrimp both great choices. Have never been dissapointed. Along with the food, service has always been very timely and aware of needs to make the experience even better. Love the long bar they have in the place with TV's to watch sporting events up at the bar or if seated in the bar area. Gives the place a nice touch. On the weekends they also have live music to enjoy. Nice hidden gem a little off the main greektown area.
(4)
Nicole S.
Service and food was awesome!!! Gumbo and crab legs were the best! I suggest this place to everyone if/when they are in Detroit.
(4)
Nick L.
Came in with a group of 8 and spent $200. They charged us $5 "cover" for each person in our party but they didn't inform us of that fact until we received our bill. I feel this is a dishonest business practice and I will not be back. I won't comment on the food because it wouldn't be fair to the kitchen.
(2)
DeAndre M.
I have no complaints about the food here. I've dined here several times, and I'll go back. I just hate to see the establishment responding back to negative reviews in such a tit for tat manor, you can't please everybody no matter what you do ! Harbor House your supposed to be bigger that, just continue to serve good food and service.......leave the petty $h!t alone
(4)
Molly G.
I have always had a great experience at the Harbor House. I've been there so many times, all the waitstaff knows my order as soon as I walk in. The crab legs are always cooked just right. It is the only restaurant that I will order ribs because they are so tender. Great music too. Harbor House is definitely my go to place
(5)
Cara C.
One of the worst restaurant experiences I've had in a long time. Yes, we had a big group, but waiting two hours for our food? Unacceptable. If you can't reasonably accommodate such a large group, then don't accept reservations for that large of a party. Can I get a water refill, bread basket, or my soup/salad while I'm waiting hours for my food? The food that arrived (steak bites) was terrible - way, way, way too salty. After our server had a meltdown (smart alec comments and angry tirades in tow), the owner came out. Given that our bill was incorrect, the owner tried to rectify the check - with some fuzzy math. This place needs some real direction and management. I'll never go back. UPDATE 05/20/13: John M. from Harbor House left a comment below this, which is entirely inaccurate. All of his details are incorrect -- from the amount in our party to the server description to the bill. Let me be clear: there was no discount given. Harbor House incorrectly put items on my bill, and then roughly estimated the total after taking them partially off. John, please be more humble. And realistic about your restaurant's experience.
(1)
Bryce P.
Amazing downtown Detroit crab legs. This is not the "high-class" establishment that is common is West Bloomfield or Birmingham, but if you want great food, great service, and a great, real, Detroit experience, This IS the place.
(4)
Jessica P.
Clean and classy atmosphere but still relaxed and comfortable enough to be able to enjoy a game on the TVs. Decent drink prices and good service. Usually have some live entertainment at night, which is always worth seeing.
(4)
maria k.
A Sunday late afternoon, not particularly busy...My wife and son waited for 35 min for a hamburger and salad, when they brought that out they told me the kitchen forgot about my jambalaya but that it only takes a few min. Another 15 min later (50 min total) and after my family was done eating they finally brought it out. A few minutes later a manager came to apologize and said that the kitchen was backed up (contrary to the excuse the waitress had already given me) he offered me a beverage "on the house of course", however I was with my young son and were just drinking water. They could have at least taken off the extra dollar charge for "mushrooms" on my kids hamburger. But all we got was a sorry and and different excuses. They would have to send me a free meal ticket for us to ever go back there again.!.! We were excited to go there, what a let down.
(1)
Del D.
Good beer ...lobster and mac disappointing. Recipe has changed and not for the better.
(2)
Mike D.
Service was slow. Gumbo was great. I guess they are known for their soups. I had the Gumbo and it was some of the best I've ever had and I've been to New Orleans. Clam Chowder is also supposed to be good. The service in the bar area was pretty slow and it wasn't even that busy. The manager ended up taking our order.
(4)
Brandy S.
I've been wanting to check this place out every since my sister told me she went a couple of weeks ago and said the food was excellent! So I happen to be in the downtown area on a Wednesday and decided to grab a lunch special. I figured, hey if I didn't like it wouldn't be that much of a waste of money! It was early, about 12 pm so the place wasn't crowded at all. It took a few minutes for someone to get to me because I was sitting at the bar, but I didn't mind. The bartender or server was very nice. I ordered the catfish and fries lunch special. It was $7.99 and I added a salad for a $1. You can add an extra piece of fish for $3.99 I believe. My salad was brought out quickly and by the time I was done, my meal was brought out. I received my meal, and it was hot and fresh! The fish was just okay though. The batter was crispy, but no real seasoning on it in my opinion. They serve very similar fries as checkers so it was okay. My bill was $9.53 so it wasn't too bad. I think I'll try this place again and try something different. By the way my sister ordered the Mac n Cheese with Lobster in it and said it was delicious!
(3)
Marcy P.
I've been to Harbor House. It was okay. In other words, most of the food I ate was edible. Nothing great, nothing spectacular, nothing to make me go wow! Although the gumbo as written is quite tasty. The experience over all was just okay. What concerns me though in reading the other reviews is John M. All I've read thus far seems to be excuses and justifications and pretty much blaming the customer. And you really want people to come back???? Get your staff together, get your service together. Stop making excuses and get your restaurant on point. Read the comments here and improve upon those concerns. That's why these reviews are here.
(2)
Jason L.
The Harbor House is another Detroit restaurant that could be so much better with a few small improvements. Plain and simple, the service sucked. We waited at an empty restaurant for a hostess for 5 minutes without an acknowledgement from the bar tender. Our waiter was disinterested in doing his job. Overall the restaurant needs a thorough cleaning. On to the food. I ordered crab legs. They came hot and were quite delicious ! Fries were crisp and tasty ! No complaints here. With some improvements to service and overall cleanliness this could be a real gem ! Location is perfect and parking is easy to find.
(3)
Celeska F.
First timers. We called an order for takeout. Food far surpassed our expectations. We were met with courtesy, quality and expediency. We will be back. Beautiful old school atmosphere.
(5)
Erin D.
Finally checked out the Harbor House with friends over the weekend. Not bad. Not bad at all. Our waitress was on point, keeping the cocktails coming. The hostess had a 'tude but only had to deal with her once. Got the lobster mac and cheese as an appetizer and salmon for dinner and it was a huge portion. Didn't experience any of the issues that others did, very glad we went.
(4)
Sarah G.
I'm going to keep my review very general since the business likes to respond to negative reviews with harassing comments that belittle the reviewers. And I already experienced that in person... not fun. The food was fine, the atmosphere in the bar where we sat was fine (actually it was sort of cozy, but I choke on my vomit a little bit when I catch myself saying something nice about this place). However, the treatment we received from our waiter and the owner himself was absolutely disgraceful. I have nothing but respect for the hospitality business, and am on the side that that customer is not always right. But in our case, we were right and when we started expressing our disappointment in the service we were experiencing our entire table was belittled and forced to leave. Again, I'm not going to go into specifics for fear of being belittled here as well, but I really wanted to make sure to warn those looking for a nice night out to avoid Harbor House. I can give you a list of restaurants to try downtown that are much better and treat people very well.
(1)
Billy J.
Came with a group of 7. Everything was great until the check came. Just glanced at the bill and handed over my credit card. The total came I asked if gratuity was added the server flat out said no. Later found out from the manager that she had lied about this and it had been added. I love the food here. But on principle I can not return to this place.
(2)
Justin R.
Great value, and just outside of Greektown means easier parking. Always had a great (and large) dinner here, and the ONE time it wasn't they quickly rectified the situation. The perch was obviously on the old side (smelled fishy even when cooked) and the waitress asked us to try it first, and if it wasn't great she would switch it out. Well she also comped the meal after bring us the fried catfish. It's nice when the place admits their faults and goes above and beyond to rectify the situation. Always had friendly wait staff, and the bar makes some good (strong) drinks. Any of their crabs are great, steaks are good, as well as the crab cakes and clam chowder.
(4)
Bryan S.
The food was great!! Ribeye eye and fried lobster tail!!! They were out of my 1st two beer selections but it's ok, they had enough to choose from that I really enjoyed myself!! The steak was thin, but tender with good flavor. And the lobster tail you could cut with a fork!! Price wasn't bad.. Surf and turf with a tall beer... 31$ I would go again!!
(4)
Erin K.
We went here specifically because they have all-you-can-eat crab legs. On their website they are listed as $34.99, but in reality, they are $39.99. They also came with beer battered mushrooms (very good), soup or salad, choice of potato, and bread with honey butter (very good). Our service was very friendly and fast and we never had to wait for more crab to come out. I would definitely recommend it if you want AYCE seafood, but if you are not big on seafood, there was not a lot of other menu choices. I ordered the fish and chips which seemed steep at $14.99 for only three pieces, but the fish and tartar sauce were really good as were the fries. They have a full bar and an attached parking lot which charges $5.
(4)
Miester C.
Awesome food! - meister customer. Random autocorrect gibberish: If you are not the intended recipient of the most important thing is that the company is a good time to to time the change in the coffee shop Greenfield Tim Burton Burton the the same time as as a a a a a few days ago by the way to get a chance to win the game is a good time to time and money to buy a new phone
(4)
Priscilla H.
The food here is delectable and they have a wide variety to choose from. The ribs are a must and the atmosphere is pleasant. They have live singers occasionally which makes for a lovely evening. The only con is the service is sub par and it may take a while to get your food.
(4)
Jeremy S.
This was my first time here and had to wait 40 min for our first round of drinks. Although the food was amazing the wait eclipsed the whole experience. The wait staff was good and the manager was accommodating so overall we would give it a 6 out of 10.
(3)
Stacey F.
The clam chowder was good and so is the jambalaya. The crab legs and the scallops were pretty tasteless. The decor inside is nice, but they should change the front door area. This crappy little lobster tank greets you at the door, not the best first impression. I am still on the hunt for the best crab and seafood in the area.
(3)
S O.
Ok, so I went here to celebrate my 30th birthday. Everything was going okay, until we got to the end. First they DO NOT DO SEPARATE CHECKS. When you have a bill that's $500? Your going to have an issue. The owner came out like we weren't going to pay the bill. Anytime, I have a group of people we pay our bill. Second, we had Two waitresses. One of the waitresses had an attitude and she was VERY I MEAN VERY RUDE AND DISRESPECTFUL. And the killing part the owner was standing right there. He was so concerned about the bill that he didn't care what was going on. Do you know I didn't get an apology? She ruined the end of my night and I was totally embarrassed. And actually more than $500 was spent because I had guest who sat at the bar and a booth. I personally won't be back and my guest expressed they wouldn't be back as well. The food was just "okay". Maybe if your in a small group, you could go here. But for a large group I wouldn't recommended it and not with poor service.
(2)
Penelope S.
CUSTOMER SERVICE= NO... I waited to be seated and there were no menus available. Once seated the waiter/hostess was running around like a chicken wit his head cut off. He told us he would be right back with our menus.. NEVER CAME... We waited 5 minutes and I'm not over exaggerating for our menus and decided to leave headed to the door the waiter/hostess was standing behind the bar chatting it up with a lady. When he seen us he was like "Guys".. Too Late buddy
(1)
David M.
Once upon a time, there was an all-you-can-eat restaurant in Hastings Michigan (Near Grand Rapids where I live) where I learned about this unique spin on crab legs. Not the puny water soaked crab you find at a Chinese Buffet, but real, succulent, hot and lovely Snow Crab. The place was called Mills Landing and I was a regular. For around 30.00 dollars you could literally eat all the crab you could with world class fries and as much pop as required. Sadly the owners grew older and dinner is no longer served...just breakfast and lunch. No mas crab. Ah.. but then Google came to mind and I searched... "All you can eat crab" Up comes The Harbor House in Deeeetroit City. As luck would have it, I already had a trip planed down to see Mom and Dad. Rather than spend time speaking about the ambiance etc. let me get right to the point....If you want a lot of steamed snow crab for a reasonable price, this is your place. They also have some interesting brews to offer, but the crab is the thing. The other thing I would call your attention to is the bean soup with greens and sausage. Very very good. Why didn't I think of that? I would also try the Lobster and Mac and Cheese....how could that be bad? My waiter seemed not interested in serving me, (or greeting me) so I moved to the bar where a wonderful server took very good care of me. I thought it odd the waiter was so slow as there were few people there when I was, but eating at the bar was no sacrifice. I see other comments here reflecting poor service and a manager that seems to not care. I will echo what has been said, and I wonder why. STEP UP YOUR CUSTOMER SERVICE MEAT HEADS. Four stars for delivering what they promised at a reasonable price. I will be back Here's hoping I will get the waiters attention.
(4)
Yvette R.
My daughter and I had dinner here today and it was delicious! She had the shrimp and I had the London Broil. The service was very prompt. We had our meals in less than 15 minutes. I could not believe the negative comments given to this restaurant. I could only think that Harbor House stepped up their customer service because ours was excellent!!!
(5)
Alvarezzza A.
Terrible service, Horrible older woman hostess, Manager/Owner does a terrible job. We were treated so poorly, I will never return.
(1)
Brian S.
Just stopped in this spot for a cold PBR, it was ICE cold, bartender Jeff was very helpful.
(3)
Ashley B.
Okay...this place is horrible!!!!!!!!!!! If I could give it zero stars I would. I was extremely excited to go here since I've heard good things..plus it was my sister's bday. Anyhow..we waited an hour and a half for our food after placing our order, and when it finally came out, was wrong, and cold. When we asked for the manager to come to our table it took him 15 minutes. When he did arrive he was beyond disrespected to our group, even stating to my sister that she could have enjoyed herself but her complaining messed if up for eveyone!!!! I will NEVER go back there. The customer service...all the way up to the owner is completely inappropriate.
(1)
Andrew F.
The only reason one should ever go here is if you want to pay the 40 bucks for the crab. If you want or expect good service or a good steak, try anywhere else but here. Better yet, if you are looking to go here, do yourself the favor and just check into the jail across the street. Tonight was another awful dinner at Harbor House. The hostess working tonight was a total....well she was an itch with a capital B. Service dragged on and on to the point that we waited 30 minutes for a drink refill and a steak. The steak was about 50 percent fat. The ribs were like leather. The really good thing was the baked potato. yum. Save the time, money, and aggravation and go somewhere else. Sadly it is the servers that suffer because of the poor management and poor quality.
(1)
Bess R.
The reviews didn't disappoint - we had a great meal at Harbor House tonight! Walked over after the Tigers game and were seated right away (left game a little early). And there were TVs to watch the end of the sad, pathetic game. The manager seemed a little spazzy with people coming in from the game, but our server was very good. He brought out warm bread right away with some yummy cinnamon-sugary butter. I ordered the lobster mac and cheese - perfect portion, nicely seasoned, crispy panko breading and just cheesy enough with some chunks of lobster. Really enjoyed it. Hubs ordered crab legs with shrimp and french fries, and also liked a lot. We both had a salad to start with some very good ranch dressing. A great meal, but my favorite part was seeing the bill! Hubs' 1lb of crab legs and large portion of shrimp (w/fries and salad) was only $20.99. Great deal. We will definitely be back...after we try some other places downtown:)
(4)
David D.
Definitely one of my favorite places to get dinner in Detroit. The basics are all good, and they surprisingly have the best gumbo in town. Ribs aren't bad either, and it's fun to be in there for karaoke night, with a lot of regulars supporting each other (and some real talent on display:).
(4)
Kelly S.
I am still dreaming about the crab legs! I was surprised to read people had less than stellar service because our server was great! The food mmmmm, the service and the crab legs...did I mention the crab? Oh ok, I just thought it needed repeating. I can't believe I had never been here before! Oh and if you eat like a 5 year old (messy) don't wear white...butter doesnt come out of white. Yummy indeed we'll be back.
(5)
Matthew K.
Certainly a must stop in downtown Detroit. Great food & great historic atmoshere. We love to hang out there before or after Lions & Tigers games!!
(5)
Jessica S.
I had such high hopes for my first trip to Harbor House. I am a seafood fanatic. Like, I'd eat it EVERY DAY if I had my way. I'd been wanting to try this place for about 2 years now. I have no idea why it took me so long to get there. I think I just kind of forgot about it. Anyways, we went in around 10:00pm for a late dinner on a week night. Wow! It was loud in there! Between the band playing and the people screaming to be heard in their conversations, yeah... wow. Super loud! Not much conversation was happening at our table unless you were talking to the person seated directly next to you. We each ordered a drink from the bar to start (They were apparently out of red bull, leaving two of us pretty disappointed.) while we waited for menus. After about 10 minutes of waiting for the menus, a member of our party went and tracked down another waitress and got menus from her. We ordered our meals and a bread basket was delivered, but no plates, silverware or napkins. We waited about 5 minutes, then the same member of our party once again tracked down another waitress to get them. From the time we ordered our meals to the time they arrived, about 45 minutes passed. We were starving, so we eagerly dove into our dishes. One person ordered the steak bites appetizer as an entree, and he loved them. I stole a bite of one, as was actually the most impressed with those, rather than the seafood selections the rest of us had ordered. Another member of our party ordered the Killer Shrimp. Not great, but not terrible either. A little chewy, though. One member of our party did the pick 2 "Fishermans Platter" and got the Shrimp Scampi and the bronzed catfish. The scampi sauce was not-that-great and he ended up pulling the shrimp out of the dish and setting the sauce to the side. The verdict on the catfish was "Ehh. It's alright. Nothing special." I was particularly excited about my pound of snow crab legs, having heard so many things about the great quality of the seafood here. To say I was let down was an understatement. Small, squishy and water-logged are the three main words I would use to describe them. I used 4 extra napkins mopping up the river that would come pouring out every time I attempted to crack them. The flavor was bland, and the meat inside did not once come out whole, rather in soggy chunks that you had to work to excavate. I've had better crab legs at a chinese buffet! :-/ The rice served with my meal was bland and chewy. The cup of gumbo however, FANTASTIC! Quite literally the only saving grace about my meal. Reading the other reviews on here, (with the exception of one or two) I'm kind of shocked. Everyone else had a great experience. Maybe I came on an off night?
(2)
Jaime M.
My boyfriend said he's never seen my eyes light up over food...until I tried the new England clam chowder here. The food was FULL of great flavor! We got the lobster Mac and cheese, crab stuffed jalapeños, calamari and New England clam chowder. The staff is extremely nice. The bartender even came over when we had questions about the beers. All around great experience!!
(5)
Kurt V.
Very good prices a wide selection of food! Loved it!
(4)
Aryn S.
What a gem! I was skeptical to go in after seeing that is was pretty much empty, but the menu and prices enticed me, and didn't dissapoint! Very fresh seafood, live whole lobsters for $17.99....what!!! And good too. I didn't get it but the lobster mac n cheese looked and smelled ridiculous and huge!! I think this is gonna be my new hangout =)
(4)
Sandra B.
I had lunch at the Harbor House the other day. I ordered fish and chips for lunch with a cup of clam chowder. The fish was a lightly battered Atlantic Cod - the batter wasn't overwhelming - it was just right. The fish was fresh (did not have a fishy taste) and the chips were pretty good too. Why 3 stars you might be wondering? Well, the clam chowder missed the mark bigtime! The flavor was good but there was so much sand in it I felt grit in my teeth an hour later. Soaking clams before you put them in chowder is elementary stuff in the culinary world - yet they failed to do that. Otherwise, they would have gotten 4 stars for sure, maybe even 5. The also have ribs on the menu but I didn't try them (fyi).
(3)
Miike G.
Wow this place was a dissappointment! Ordered the gumbo soup (good) and the lobster Mac and cheese (good but not amazing). My pops ordered the full slab of baby back ribs which were decent. My biggest complaint is the atmosphere and prices for their food. This place is way overpriced for the lack of quality in the ingredients, not to mention the atmosphere gives you the feel like your in a under construction run down basement bar. Will not be returning. Always wanted to try this place and wish I hadn't. Next time in greektown, I will be headed to red smoke or golden fleece.
(2)
Michael B.
An ideal stop when you are downtown for a game or show. We always love the wholesome entries and hearty portions.....the ribs, fish/chips and mac & cheese are some of the best in town! The owner obviously seeks to use only the best ingredients for his food. We actually appreciate the pub-like atmosphere with a wonderful bar and TV's placed for sports viewing. They have an absolutely excellent selection of Michigan (and other) craft beers that complement the food perfectly. Try it....take your group or family/kids to the Harbor House real soon! You will not be dissapointed.
(5)
Shaunte W.
I was impressed. This place far exceeded my expectations. The food was delicious, and the service was superb, and the bill was reasonable. What more could one ask for?!? I'll definitely be back.
(4)
Linda W.
I eat at Harbor House a lot. Why? Because the food is good. The service leaves a lot to be desired and the manager has a hard time excepting feedback. Which for the life of me I do not understand why he solicits it from the customers. The last time I was there I ordered a new menu item when he asked me if I liked it and I told him it was just so so he got a major attitude. Anyway I've never had a bad meal there. I have never had any of the meat dishes so I can't speak about them. But as far as the seafood they're all very good. They just need to hire some competent waitstaff.
(4)
Quinten C.
Great all you can eat crab legs on Friday.
(5)
daniel t.
Stopped in to hang with a friend ended up having ribs. I think they were the best ribs I ever had!!!! plus the mushrooms were fresh and lightly dipped before being deep fried, unbelievable good. I'm a fan....
(5)
Nina B.
I was highly disappointed when we visited Harbor House on January 21, 2012. Before we drove over an hour to get there, we checked the business hours on their website. According to the website, they opened at 1:00 pm that day (Saturday). It was about 2:30 pm when we arrived and the doors were locked. I called the phone number listed on their website and questioned why they were not yet opened, the woman who answered very rudely told me "We open at 3:00 pm on Saturday! 1:00 pm on Sunday!" I told her the website said differently and she again said "No! 3:00 on Saturday! 1:00 on Sunday!" Since it was only half an hour, and that's where we really had our hearts set on eating, we decided we would wait. Unfortunately, since we had our 12 week old baby with us, in his car seat, we weren't able to sit still in the parking lot and wait for half an hour for them to open. After driving around downtown Detroit for 25 minutes, we finally came back and were seated immediately. | Our server made her way to our table in a reasonable time frame, our drinks arrived reasonably quickly, but it was all downhill from there. Firstly, not only were the business hours online incorrect, but so were the prices. We knew we weren't going to find anything inexpensive there; as it is a "nice" seafood restaurant, but the prices online are all 10-15% less than the actual prices. Secondly, they offer an "All-You-Can-Eat" menu that includes an appetizer, which was never brought to us. Third, our soups and salad took almost 20 minutes to make their way to our table, so we asked the server to bring extra bread, which she did bring, but to another table. We had to ask her three more times before she finally brought it to us. Our entrees finally arrived roughly 45 minutes after we ordered. Call me impatient, but there was no reason the food should've taken that long to make it to our table. | The food itself was not bad at all. My only complaint about the food itself is that my boyfriend ordered the jambalaya and it was served to him cold. While I'm sure they make it in large batches and heat it up as needed, there is never any reason why cold food should be served. Especially when everything else on his plate was absolutely warm enough. | I'm not sure if our server was just new and unfamiliar with the menu, or if there was legitimately something wrong with her, but she acted as though she had no idea what we were talking about when we ordered. She had to look at the menu and see where our orders were located on the menu. When she brought our drinks, she almost spilled them on my mother. When she brought or food, the tray almost fell of the stand she brought. | This, by the way, was NOT a very busy day at all. While there was a Red Wings game and the Auto Show going on downtown, only 5-10 tables were actually occupied while we were there. I could only imagine how terrible the service would have been if the place was busy. Needless to say, we will not be returning.
(2)
Louise R.
Great atmosphere on game days and Friday nights! Coconut shrimp are fantastic and so is the mac and cheese!
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Street Bike Parking : No Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Very Loud Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
Daron D.
Came here for a birthday party and left feeling like this should be a 5 star place. they have about 8 beers on tap, about $5 a bar (not bad) and actual good live music. As for the food: I had their Garlic Parmesan wings (excellent and it comes with fries) as a starter. For my meal I went with the ribs and steak (both are simply great, ribs are fall off the bone and steak is just great). along with their fries ( some of the best fries you are going to have). A lot of people in the party ordered the all you can eat option and that also seemed like a good option because if you pay for one of the high end all you eats, they will let you eat the options that are of lower price also. Everything here is like i said great, the only reason why they didn't get 5 stars is service. Now it was a good amount of people in here, but nowhere near packed. The order time was ridiculous with the average wait time for a meal at 2 hours after we order (and some being three). During the time of wait, it was all around bad service by the staff (with the exception of one lady who tried her best, even though she wasn't the waitress for our group). they didn't even try at times. Now that's why they got four stars (really should be 3.5 stars). Great food + Bad Service=eating here at your peril.
(4)Food E.
I just went for a quick lunch, but the menu looks pretty awesome. Had butterfly shrimp and they were cooked perfectly. Not tough or rubbery, but as if they were fresh, when I'm not sure that's the case. Bartender Jeff was super nice, even after he found out I'm a Cardinals fan...
(4)Justin D.
Terrible atmosphere and service. Food sucks too.
(1)Dan B.
Ah, came here right before a baseball game. It wasn't all that busy. There were 3 or 4 servers hanging around, but the service was absolutely awful. Some places simply don't deserve a second chance. This is a simple seafood and dinner place. It's not terribly priced, and the food isn't bad. However, the service was so bad, I couldn't even consider coming again. Waitress failed to accurately take orders, failed to fill glasses, failed to check up on table, and even failed to bring back correct change. It was wierd. She did this as every table. Frankly, it was so light a single person could wait on us and cook our dinners with good service. Here, they just don't care. A table beside us had to go up to the bar to get their drinks refilled. The table in front had their orders screwed up. I have worked in a seafood restaurant (and Im not saying that in a snobbish way). It's not that difficult, especially when there are only 3-4 tables that are being served.
(1)Carolyn E.
I am so glad I gave this place another try. The music was actually really good this time without a cover charge, and we ordered entrees instead of the all you can eat, and the food was great. We started with the spicy garlic wings which were awesome! I love wings and I try them everywhere, and I'd definitely order these again. We each ordered the Fisherman's Platter and chose the fried catfish, fried shrimp, and shrimp scampi. Everything was perfect, there was tons of food, and they only cost $17.99. The service was also very good, and the crowd was fun. The kitchen is open until midnight during the week which is a real bonus for me, so we'll definitely be back! No chain seafood restaurants for us!
(4)Sarita M.
My oh my. What can i say but that was by far the worst service i have ever had. While the server was nice he was sooooo swamped that he was completely overwhelmed. They need to add about 5 servers to even to begin to combat the rush. The food on the other was magnificent, a great tribute to sea food. I would like to give this place more stars but both the ambiance and service were just too terrible.
(2)Tinotenda S.
Great Food, loved it but terrible terrible service. Never had to wait so long for my food. 5 stars for the food and 1 star for service.
(2)Candiss W.
This is my go-to place for lobster mac and cheese. I've had lobster mac from many places, but Harbor House has my favorite in the Detroit Metro Area. It's creamy, luxurious and filled with lobster, with a yummy crispy Panko crust. It's awesome! I also enjoy their crab cake. It's well done with big chunks of crab and just enough breadcrumbs to add texture without detracting from the overall composition of telnet cake. As I type this, I'm seriously thinking about going downtown to pick up both of these. Hmmmm, maybe I can convince my hubby to run and get me a carry out. The service here is usually pretty good and the food is always fresh and hot. They often have live music and the pours are generous. If you haven't been, now is the chance to try it out.
(4)Lou D.
Harbor House is my go-to restaurant for dinner when I'm staying at the Hilton Garden Inn across the street. My favorite meal is the Low-Country Tilapia with a bowl of Gumbo and a Michigan Salad, but everything I've had there has been great. It only matters what you're in the mood for, even if it is lobster! The kitchen knows it's stuff and the staff is very friendly and efficient. As a bonus ... they have great live entertainment almost every night and the kitchen is open well past 10 pm if that is important to you. Check their website for the entertainment lineup harborhousemi.com/schedu… .
(4)Rachel M.
Middle of the road. We came here kind of late so we missed out on the AYCE section that my date was interested in but that was okay with me. Our waitress, Mercedes, was attentive and efficient. I had the lobster and my date had a rib and steak with crab add-on. I can't remember what the other couple we dined with had, but they liked their food. Personally, I had had better and I felt that my "presentation" lettuce on my plate looked rather wilted/old. I don't eat any of that anyways so it's not like I cared but I kind of felt like it was an "end of the night/throw whatever's left on" situation which is kind of icky to me - they could have just left it off. Anyways, it was lobster - nothing special about it really to make me return here over other seafood places but my date was really excited about his food so I'm sure I'll end up giving it another try sometime. Our return will be his choice, rather than mine, but I won't be upset over it either. It was kind of loud and there was a band with quite a few drunk bar patrons in the house. It didn't bother us any, actually it was amusing, but I could see how that might be an issue for some... or an issue period with the wrong group of drunk people. I did NOT like that for our party of 4, there was gratuity added. I tip. I know how to tip. However, forcing me to tip (and I am fairly certain it was 20% rather than the normal 17-18% that places add.) Even though 20% is generally my starting point for good service, I really don't like when places do that on small parties. Usually, it's an indication that service is generally pretty bad here - although that wasn't the case in this case. One major tip: The soup, black eyed peas with collard greens and sausage is amazing! Try it. The three of us that did all loved it!
(3)Rachael B.
My husband and I love coming downtown to eat here. It's one of our favorites. The all you can eat is usually pretty good, fills us up. Although to save money I'm sure, they shrink your portion size every time you order something. The lobster mac and cheese is good as well. We will definitely be back.
(4)Terri C.
Great seafood locally owned pub style bistro with a live band thatmwe're great. Food was awesome and great atmosphere.
(5)Shae C.
We went for dinner last night and I was pleasantly pleased! The ambiance of the establishment is wonderful. A combination of fine dining and casual pub style makes for a comfortable, relaxing atmosphere. The manager (whose name escapes me) was wonderful! He waited on us personally. I had the crab cakes as an appetizer which I shared with my 13 year old daughter. She loved them, they were ok, but I could have done without the whole corn kernels in them. My lamb chops however MORE than made up for them! They were absolutely PERFECT! The yellow rice that comes with it was delicious. My daughter had the jambalaya which she said was amazing. They also have a delicious cinnamon butter that comes with the bread that was so good we needed a second basket. The gumbo was delicious as well. I can't believe I had never been here before yesterday! I'll definitely be back soon!
(4)RE A.
The Best Seafood restaurant downtown. Fast friendly service. Everybody gets treated like family. Great menu great bar, live jazz band entertains on weekends. Highly Recommended.
(5)monica b.
Good food, great atmosphere. We need more places like this downtown. Give it 4 stars for food and quality, but i wasn't impressed w/ the service that i would only rate 3 stars.
(4)Kelsy K.
Awesome food at great prices! Every time we go to Detroit for sporting events we always stop here after. Some of the best seafood I have ever had! Can't wait to go back!
(4)Zane M.
The food is not good . You can eat all you want but who would want to eat it. It is cheap and salty food.
(1)Xiang C.
went back to harbour after several months and experienced the same charm and ambience. love them. had steak bites, and the side with the lovely goat cheese. cheers harbor house. xiang cclc
(5)Mick K.
My girlfriend and I have been coming downtown to the Greektown area for years. It was about a year ago that we stumbled upon the Harbor House. She has an expensive pallet and I have a love for fine whiskey and Michigan craft beers. We are both satisfied when we go to Harbor House. She loves the Crab Legs and the Lobster Mac & Cheese and I am always please with their Steaks, Ribs, Lamb Chops or just a burger. Last night was different experience for us. We usually dine early and have never caught the entertainment. Last night we started later and caught the band which must of had 10 members playing swing and jazz. The quality of music was incredible. At about ten o:clock the lights dimmed, TV's were turned off and when the music began we had another experience we did not expect and rather than giving our donation to the casino we stayed all night at Harbor House. Good Job guys we will now be back even more often. I just found your website and music schedule! Bonnie did a great job with service also.!
(5)John C.
Gone downhill, way downhill. I've done AUCE snow crab at pretty much every place you can in the area. We've been going to HH for years. It HAD been the place to go for the best AUCE crab legs quality wise. Big, meaty crab legs - the only issue is the price. HH was always the most expensive, but the crab legs were truly top quality. But the last time we went the price went up to $38 pp (from $34) but that wasn't the worst part the quality went way down. I'm talking Chinese buffet quality - small, ugly, water logged, tasteless. The manager tried to tell us this was the worst time for crab legs and they couldn't get any good stock of legs in, come back in a few weeks, yada yada yada. SO TAKE THEM OFF THE MENU IF YOU CAN'T GET QUALITY CRAB. With the bill in the $150+ range his offer was a $25 gift certificate - for one of us! Woohoo - we get to fight over who gets the $25. Hey guess what? We won't be back. Your $25 gift certificate will be sold on craig's list.
(1)Mary Beth G.
Just arrived in Detroit for 3 day conference. Staying at Hilton Garden. I asked front desk person where to eat lunch. She walked to front door and pointed. Asked Danielle what was popular she said Big Fish lunch special ...A+. Fantastic batter, good size fish, tartar sauce, exceptionally good cole slaw, with wonderful fries. Asked for hot to order and I got it. A+ fries. Refilled my water. Great service. Yep, you got to try it! Music after 10:00pm with $5 cover. I will be back...
(5)Vanessa W.
Crab legs, ribs, fried green tomato crab cake saganaki stacked appetizer, fried rock shrimp!
(5)Thomas L.
Have been here numerous times for various reasons and overall each and every experience has been above average. They do have good happy hour drink specials especially before tiger games. Food has always been excellent, try the catfish bites or the ribeye and shrimp both great choices. Have never been dissapointed. Along with the food, service has always been very timely and aware of needs to make the experience even better. Love the long bar they have in the place with TV's to watch sporting events up at the bar or if seated in the bar area. Gives the place a nice touch. On the weekends they also have live music to enjoy. Nice hidden gem a little off the main greektown area.
(4)Nicole S.
Service and food was awesome!!! Gumbo and crab legs were the best! I suggest this place to everyone if/when they are in Detroit.
(4)Nick L.
Came in with a group of 8 and spent $200. They charged us $5 "cover" for each person in our party but they didn't inform us of that fact until we received our bill. I feel this is a dishonest business practice and I will not be back. I won't comment on the food because it wouldn't be fair to the kitchen.
(2)DeAndre M.
I have no complaints about the food here. I've dined here several times, and I'll go back. I just hate to see the establishment responding back to negative reviews in such a tit for tat manor, you can't please everybody no matter what you do ! Harbor House your supposed to be bigger that, just continue to serve good food and service.......leave the petty $h!t alone
(4)Molly G.
I have always had a great experience at the Harbor House. I've been there so many times, all the waitstaff knows my order as soon as I walk in. The crab legs are always cooked just right. It is the only restaurant that I will order ribs because they are so tender. Great music too. Harbor House is definitely my go to place
(5)Cara C.
One of the worst restaurant experiences I've had in a long time. Yes, we had a big group, but waiting two hours for our food? Unacceptable. If you can't reasonably accommodate such a large group, then don't accept reservations for that large of a party. Can I get a water refill, bread basket, or my soup/salad while I'm waiting hours for my food? The food that arrived (steak bites) was terrible - way, way, way too salty. After our server had a meltdown (smart alec comments and angry tirades in tow), the owner came out. Given that our bill was incorrect, the owner tried to rectify the check - with some fuzzy math. This place needs some real direction and management. I'll never go back. UPDATE 05/20/13: John M. from Harbor House left a comment below this, which is entirely inaccurate. All of his details are incorrect -- from the amount in our party to the server description to the bill. Let me be clear: there was no discount given. Harbor House incorrectly put items on my bill, and then roughly estimated the total after taking them partially off. John, please be more humble. And realistic about your restaurant's experience.
(1)Bryce P.
Amazing downtown Detroit crab legs. This is not the "high-class" establishment that is common is West Bloomfield or Birmingham, but if you want great food, great service, and a great, real, Detroit experience, This IS the place.
(4)Jessica P.
Clean and classy atmosphere but still relaxed and comfortable enough to be able to enjoy a game on the TVs. Decent drink prices and good service. Usually have some live entertainment at night, which is always worth seeing.
(4)maria k.
A Sunday late afternoon, not particularly busy...My wife and son waited for 35 min for a hamburger and salad, when they brought that out they told me the kitchen forgot about my jambalaya but that it only takes a few min. Another 15 min later (50 min total) and after my family was done eating they finally brought it out. A few minutes later a manager came to apologize and said that the kitchen was backed up (contrary to the excuse the waitress had already given me) he offered me a beverage "on the house of course", however I was with my young son and were just drinking water. They could have at least taken off the extra dollar charge for "mushrooms" on my kids hamburger. But all we got was a sorry and and different excuses. They would have to send me a free meal ticket for us to ever go back there again.!.! We were excited to go there, what a let down.
(1)Del D.
Good beer ...lobster and mac disappointing. Recipe has changed and not for the better.
(2)Mike D.
Service was slow. Gumbo was great. I guess they are known for their soups. I had the Gumbo and it was some of the best I've ever had and I've been to New Orleans. Clam Chowder is also supposed to be good. The service in the bar area was pretty slow and it wasn't even that busy. The manager ended up taking our order.
(4)Brandy S.
I've been wanting to check this place out every since my sister told me she went a couple of weeks ago and said the food was excellent! So I happen to be in the downtown area on a Wednesday and decided to grab a lunch special. I figured, hey if I didn't like it wouldn't be that much of a waste of money! It was early, about 12 pm so the place wasn't crowded at all. It took a few minutes for someone to get to me because I was sitting at the bar, but I didn't mind. The bartender or server was very nice. I ordered the catfish and fries lunch special. It was $7.99 and I added a salad for a $1. You can add an extra piece of fish for $3.99 I believe. My salad was brought out quickly and by the time I was done, my meal was brought out. I received my meal, and it was hot and fresh! The fish was just okay though. The batter was crispy, but no real seasoning on it in my opinion. They serve very similar fries as checkers so it was okay. My bill was $9.53 so it wasn't too bad. I think I'll try this place again and try something different. By the way my sister ordered the Mac n Cheese with Lobster in it and said it was delicious!
(3)Marcy P.
I've been to Harbor House. It was okay. In other words, most of the food I ate was edible. Nothing great, nothing spectacular, nothing to make me go wow! Although the gumbo as written is quite tasty. The experience over all was just okay. What concerns me though in reading the other reviews is John M. All I've read thus far seems to be excuses and justifications and pretty much blaming the customer. And you really want people to come back???? Get your staff together, get your service together. Stop making excuses and get your restaurant on point. Read the comments here and improve upon those concerns. That's why these reviews are here.
(2)Jason L.
The Harbor House is another Detroit restaurant that could be so much better with a few small improvements. Plain and simple, the service sucked. We waited at an empty restaurant for a hostess for 5 minutes without an acknowledgement from the bar tender. Our waiter was disinterested in doing his job. Overall the restaurant needs a thorough cleaning. On to the food. I ordered crab legs. They came hot and were quite delicious ! Fries were crisp and tasty ! No complaints here. With some improvements to service and overall cleanliness this could be a real gem ! Location is perfect and parking is easy to find.
(3)Celeska F.
First timers. We called an order for takeout. Food far surpassed our expectations. We were met with courtesy, quality and expediency. We will be back. Beautiful old school atmosphere.
(5)Erin D.
Finally checked out the Harbor House with friends over the weekend. Not bad. Not bad at all. Our waitress was on point, keeping the cocktails coming. The hostess had a 'tude but only had to deal with her once. Got the lobster mac and cheese as an appetizer and salmon for dinner and it was a huge portion. Didn't experience any of the issues that others did, very glad we went.
(4)Sarah G.
I'm going to keep my review very general since the business likes to respond to negative reviews with harassing comments that belittle the reviewers. And I already experienced that in person... not fun. The food was fine, the atmosphere in the bar where we sat was fine (actually it was sort of cozy, but I choke on my vomit a little bit when I catch myself saying something nice about this place). However, the treatment we received from our waiter and the owner himself was absolutely disgraceful. I have nothing but respect for the hospitality business, and am on the side that that customer is not always right. But in our case, we were right and when we started expressing our disappointment in the service we were experiencing our entire table was belittled and forced to leave. Again, I'm not going to go into specifics for fear of being belittled here as well, but I really wanted to make sure to warn those looking for a nice night out to avoid Harbor House. I can give you a list of restaurants to try downtown that are much better and treat people very well.
(1)Billy J.
Came with a group of 7. Everything was great until the check came. Just glanced at the bill and handed over my credit card. The total came I asked if gratuity was added the server flat out said no. Later found out from the manager that she had lied about this and it had been added. I love the food here. But on principle I can not return to this place.
(2)Justin R.
Great value, and just outside of Greektown means easier parking. Always had a great (and large) dinner here, and the ONE time it wasn't they quickly rectified the situation. The perch was obviously on the old side (smelled fishy even when cooked) and the waitress asked us to try it first, and if it wasn't great she would switch it out. Well she also comped the meal after bring us the fried catfish. It's nice when the place admits their faults and goes above and beyond to rectify the situation. Always had friendly wait staff, and the bar makes some good (strong) drinks. Any of their crabs are great, steaks are good, as well as the crab cakes and clam chowder.
(4)Bryan S.
The food was great!! Ribeye eye and fried lobster tail!!! They were out of my 1st two beer selections but it's ok, they had enough to choose from that I really enjoyed myself!! The steak was thin, but tender with good flavor. And the lobster tail you could cut with a fork!! Price wasn't bad.. Surf and turf with a tall beer... 31$ I would go again!!
(4)Erin K.
We went here specifically because they have all-you-can-eat crab legs. On their website they are listed as $34.99, but in reality, they are $39.99. They also came with beer battered mushrooms (very good), soup or salad, choice of potato, and bread with honey butter (very good). Our service was very friendly and fast and we never had to wait for more crab to come out. I would definitely recommend it if you want AYCE seafood, but if you are not big on seafood, there was not a lot of other menu choices. I ordered the fish and chips which seemed steep at $14.99 for only three pieces, but the fish and tartar sauce were really good as were the fries. They have a full bar and an attached parking lot which charges $5.
(4)Miester C.
Awesome food! - meister customer. Random autocorrect gibberish: If you are not the intended recipient of the most important thing is that the company is a good time to to time the change in the coffee shop Greenfield Tim Burton Burton the the same time as as a a a a a few days ago by the way to get a chance to win the game is a good time to time and money to buy a new phone
(4)Priscilla H.
The food here is delectable and they have a wide variety to choose from. The ribs are a must and the atmosphere is pleasant. They have live singers occasionally which makes for a lovely evening. The only con is the service is sub par and it may take a while to get your food.
(4)Jeremy S.
This was my first time here and had to wait 40 min for our first round of drinks. Although the food was amazing the wait eclipsed the whole experience. The wait staff was good and the manager was accommodating so overall we would give it a 6 out of 10.
(3)Stacey F.
The clam chowder was good and so is the jambalaya. The crab legs and the scallops were pretty tasteless. The decor inside is nice, but they should change the front door area. This crappy little lobster tank greets you at the door, not the best first impression. I am still on the hunt for the best crab and seafood in the area.
(3)S O.
Ok, so I went here to celebrate my 30th birthday. Everything was going okay, until we got to the end. First they DO NOT DO SEPARATE CHECKS. When you have a bill that's $500? Your going to have an issue. The owner came out like we weren't going to pay the bill. Anytime, I have a group of people we pay our bill. Second, we had Two waitresses. One of the waitresses had an attitude and she was VERY I MEAN VERY RUDE AND DISRESPECTFUL. And the killing part the owner was standing right there. He was so concerned about the bill that he didn't care what was going on. Do you know I didn't get an apology? She ruined the end of my night and I was totally embarrassed. And actually more than $500 was spent because I had guest who sat at the bar and a booth. I personally won't be back and my guest expressed they wouldn't be back as well. The food was just "okay". Maybe if your in a small group, you could go here. But for a large group I wouldn't recommended it and not with poor service.
(2)Penelope S.
CUSTOMER SERVICE= NO... I waited to be seated and there were no menus available. Once seated the waiter/hostess was running around like a chicken wit his head cut off. He told us he would be right back with our menus.. NEVER CAME... We waited 5 minutes and I'm not over exaggerating for our menus and decided to leave headed to the door the waiter/hostess was standing behind the bar chatting it up with a lady. When he seen us he was like "Guys".. Too Late buddy
(1)David M.
Once upon a time, there was an all-you-can-eat restaurant in Hastings Michigan (Near Grand Rapids where I live) where I learned about this unique spin on crab legs. Not the puny water soaked crab you find at a Chinese Buffet, but real, succulent, hot and lovely Snow Crab. The place was called Mills Landing and I was a regular. For around 30.00 dollars you could literally eat all the crab you could with world class fries and as much pop as required. Sadly the owners grew older and dinner is no longer served...just breakfast and lunch. No mas crab. Ah.. but then Google came to mind and I searched... "All you can eat crab" Up comes The Harbor House in Deeeetroit City. As luck would have it, I already had a trip planed down to see Mom and Dad. Rather than spend time speaking about the ambiance etc. let me get right to the point....If you want a lot of steamed snow crab for a reasonable price, this is your place. They also have some interesting brews to offer, but the crab is the thing. The other thing I would call your attention to is the bean soup with greens and sausage. Very very good. Why didn't I think of that? I would also try the Lobster and Mac and Cheese....how could that be bad? My waiter seemed not interested in serving me, (or greeting me) so I moved to the bar where a wonderful server took very good care of me. I thought it odd the waiter was so slow as there were few people there when I was, but eating at the bar was no sacrifice. I see other comments here reflecting poor service and a manager that seems to not care. I will echo what has been said, and I wonder why. STEP UP YOUR CUSTOMER SERVICE MEAT HEADS. Four stars for delivering what they promised at a reasonable price. I will be back Here's hoping I will get the waiters attention.
(4)Yvette R.
My daughter and I had dinner here today and it was delicious! She had the shrimp and I had the London Broil. The service was very prompt. We had our meals in less than 15 minutes. I could not believe the negative comments given to this restaurant. I could only think that Harbor House stepped up their customer service because ours was excellent!!!
(5)Alvarezzza A.
Terrible service, Horrible older woman hostess, Manager/Owner does a terrible job. We were treated so poorly, I will never return.
(1)Brian S.
Just stopped in this spot for a cold PBR, it was ICE cold, bartender Jeff was very helpful.
(3)Ashley B.
Okay...this place is horrible!!!!!!!!!!! If I could give it zero stars I would. I was extremely excited to go here since I've heard good things..plus it was my sister's bday. Anyhow..we waited an hour and a half for our food after placing our order, and when it finally came out, was wrong, and cold. When we asked for the manager to come to our table it took him 15 minutes. When he did arrive he was beyond disrespected to our group, even stating to my sister that she could have enjoyed herself but her complaining messed if up for eveyone!!!! I will NEVER go back there. The customer service...all the way up to the owner is completely inappropriate.
(1)Andrew F.
The only reason one should ever go here is if you want to pay the 40 bucks for the crab. If you want or expect good service or a good steak, try anywhere else but here. Better yet, if you are looking to go here, do yourself the favor and just check into the jail across the street. Tonight was another awful dinner at Harbor House. The hostess working tonight was a total....well she was an itch with a capital B. Service dragged on and on to the point that we waited 30 minutes for a drink refill and a steak. The steak was about 50 percent fat. The ribs were like leather. The really good thing was the baked potato. yum. Save the time, money, and aggravation and go somewhere else. Sadly it is the servers that suffer because of the poor management and poor quality.
(1)Bess R.
The reviews didn't disappoint - we had a great meal at Harbor House tonight! Walked over after the Tigers game and were seated right away (left game a little early). And there were TVs to watch the end of the sad, pathetic game. The manager seemed a little spazzy with people coming in from the game, but our server was very good. He brought out warm bread right away with some yummy cinnamon-sugary butter. I ordered the lobster mac and cheese - perfect portion, nicely seasoned, crispy panko breading and just cheesy enough with some chunks of lobster. Really enjoyed it. Hubs ordered crab legs with shrimp and french fries, and also liked a lot. We both had a salad to start with some very good ranch dressing. A great meal, but my favorite part was seeing the bill! Hubs' 1lb of crab legs and large portion of shrimp (w/fries and salad) was only $20.99. Great deal. We will definitely be back...after we try some other places downtown:)
(4)David D.
Definitely one of my favorite places to get dinner in Detroit. The basics are all good, and they surprisingly have the best gumbo in town. Ribs aren't bad either, and it's fun to be in there for karaoke night, with a lot of regulars supporting each other (and some real talent on display:).
(4)Kelly S.
I am still dreaming about the crab legs! I was surprised to read people had less than stellar service because our server was great! The food mmmmm, the service and the crab legs...did I mention the crab? Oh ok, I just thought it needed repeating. I can't believe I had never been here before! Oh and if you eat like a 5 year old (messy) don't wear white...butter doesnt come out of white. Yummy indeed we'll be back.
(5)Matthew K.
Certainly a must stop in downtown Detroit. Great food & great historic atmoshere. We love to hang out there before or after Lions & Tigers games!!
(5)Jessica S.
I had such high hopes for my first trip to Harbor House. I am a seafood fanatic. Like, I'd eat it EVERY DAY if I had my way. I'd been wanting to try this place for about 2 years now. I have no idea why it took me so long to get there. I think I just kind of forgot about it. Anyways, we went in around 10:00pm for a late dinner on a week night. Wow! It was loud in there! Between the band playing and the people screaming to be heard in their conversations, yeah... wow. Super loud! Not much conversation was happening at our table unless you were talking to the person seated directly next to you. We each ordered a drink from the bar to start (They were apparently out of red bull, leaving two of us pretty disappointed.) while we waited for menus. After about 10 minutes of waiting for the menus, a member of our party went and tracked down another waitress and got menus from her. We ordered our meals and a bread basket was delivered, but no plates, silverware or napkins. We waited about 5 minutes, then the same member of our party once again tracked down another waitress to get them. From the time we ordered our meals to the time they arrived, about 45 minutes passed. We were starving, so we eagerly dove into our dishes. One person ordered the steak bites appetizer as an entree, and he loved them. I stole a bite of one, as was actually the most impressed with those, rather than the seafood selections the rest of us had ordered. Another member of our party ordered the Killer Shrimp. Not great, but not terrible either. A little chewy, though. One member of our party did the pick 2 "Fishermans Platter" and got the Shrimp Scampi and the bronzed catfish. The scampi sauce was not-that-great and he ended up pulling the shrimp out of the dish and setting the sauce to the side. The verdict on the catfish was "Ehh. It's alright. Nothing special." I was particularly excited about my pound of snow crab legs, having heard so many things about the great quality of the seafood here. To say I was let down was an understatement. Small, squishy and water-logged are the three main words I would use to describe them. I used 4 extra napkins mopping up the river that would come pouring out every time I attempted to crack them. The flavor was bland, and the meat inside did not once come out whole, rather in soggy chunks that you had to work to excavate. I've had better crab legs at a chinese buffet! :-/ The rice served with my meal was bland and chewy. The cup of gumbo however, FANTASTIC! Quite literally the only saving grace about my meal. Reading the other reviews on here, (with the exception of one or two) I'm kind of shocked. Everyone else had a great experience. Maybe I came on an off night?
(2)Jaime M.
My boyfriend said he's never seen my eyes light up over food...until I tried the new England clam chowder here. The food was FULL of great flavor! We got the lobster Mac and cheese, crab stuffed jalapeños, calamari and New England clam chowder. The staff is extremely nice. The bartender even came over when we had questions about the beers. All around great experience!!
(5)Kurt V.
Very good prices a wide selection of food! Loved it!
(4)Aryn S.
What a gem! I was skeptical to go in after seeing that is was pretty much empty, but the menu and prices enticed me, and didn't dissapoint! Very fresh seafood, live whole lobsters for $17.99....what!!! And good too. I didn't get it but the lobster mac n cheese looked and smelled ridiculous and huge!! I think this is gonna be my new hangout =)
(4)Sandra B.
I had lunch at the Harbor House the other day. I ordered fish and chips for lunch with a cup of clam chowder. The fish was a lightly battered Atlantic Cod - the batter wasn't overwhelming - it was just right. The fish was fresh (did not have a fishy taste) and the chips were pretty good too. Why 3 stars you might be wondering? Well, the clam chowder missed the mark bigtime! The flavor was good but there was so much sand in it I felt grit in my teeth an hour later. Soaking clams before you put them in chowder is elementary stuff in the culinary world - yet they failed to do that. Otherwise, they would have gotten 4 stars for sure, maybe even 5. The also have ribs on the menu but I didn't try them (fyi).
(3)Miike G.
Wow this place was a dissappointment! Ordered the gumbo soup (good) and the lobster Mac and cheese (good but not amazing). My pops ordered the full slab of baby back ribs which were decent. My biggest complaint is the atmosphere and prices for their food. This place is way overpriced for the lack of quality in the ingredients, not to mention the atmosphere gives you the feel like your in a under construction run down basement bar. Will not be returning. Always wanted to try this place and wish I hadn't. Next time in greektown, I will be headed to red smoke or golden fleece.
(2)Michael B.
An ideal stop when you are downtown for a game or show. We always love the wholesome entries and hearty portions.....the ribs, fish/chips and mac & cheese are some of the best in town! The owner obviously seeks to use only the best ingredients for his food. We actually appreciate the pub-like atmosphere with a wonderful bar and TV's placed for sports viewing. They have an absolutely excellent selection of Michigan (and other) craft beers that complement the food perfectly. Try it....take your group or family/kids to the Harbor House real soon! You will not be dissapointed.
(5)Shaunte W.
I was impressed. This place far exceeded my expectations. The food was delicious, and the service was superb, and the bill was reasonable. What more could one ask for?!? I'll definitely be back.
(4)Linda W.
I eat at Harbor House a lot. Why? Because the food is good. The service leaves a lot to be desired and the manager has a hard time excepting feedback. Which for the life of me I do not understand why he solicits it from the customers. The last time I was there I ordered a new menu item when he asked me if I liked it and I told him it was just so so he got a major attitude. Anyway I've never had a bad meal there. I have never had any of the meat dishes so I can't speak about them. But as far as the seafood they're all very good. They just need to hire some competent waitstaff.
(4)Quinten C.
Great all you can eat crab legs on Friday.
(5)daniel t.
Stopped in to hang with a friend ended up having ribs. I think they were the best ribs I ever had!!!! plus the mushrooms were fresh and lightly dipped before being deep fried, unbelievable good. I'm a fan....
(5)Nina B.
I was highly disappointed when we visited Harbor House on January 21, 2012. Before we drove over an hour to get there, we checked the business hours on their website. According to the website, they opened at 1:00 pm that day (Saturday). It was about 2:30 pm when we arrived and the doors were locked. I called the phone number listed on their website and questioned why they were not yet opened, the woman who answered very rudely told me "We open at 3:00 pm on Saturday! 1:00 pm on Sunday!" I told her the website said differently and she again said "No! 3:00 on Saturday! 1:00 on Sunday!" Since it was only half an hour, and that's where we really had our hearts set on eating, we decided we would wait. Unfortunately, since we had our 12 week old baby with us, in his car seat, we weren't able to sit still in the parking lot and wait for half an hour for them to open. After driving around downtown Detroit for 25 minutes, we finally came back and were seated immediately. | Our server made her way to our table in a reasonable time frame, our drinks arrived reasonably quickly, but it was all downhill from there. Firstly, not only were the business hours online incorrect, but so were the prices. We knew we weren't going to find anything inexpensive there; as it is a "nice" seafood restaurant, but the prices online are all 10-15% less than the actual prices. Secondly, they offer an "All-You-Can-Eat" menu that includes an appetizer, which was never brought to us. Third, our soups and salad took almost 20 minutes to make their way to our table, so we asked the server to bring extra bread, which she did bring, but to another table. We had to ask her three more times before she finally brought it to us. Our entrees finally arrived roughly 45 minutes after we ordered. Call me impatient, but there was no reason the food should've taken that long to make it to our table. | The food itself was not bad at all. My only complaint about the food itself is that my boyfriend ordered the jambalaya and it was served to him cold. While I'm sure they make it in large batches and heat it up as needed, there is never any reason why cold food should be served. Especially when everything else on his plate was absolutely warm enough. | I'm not sure if our server was just new and unfamiliar with the menu, or if there was legitimately something wrong with her, but she acted as though she had no idea what we were talking about when we ordered. She had to look at the menu and see where our orders were located on the menu. When she brought our drinks, she almost spilled them on my mother. When she brought or food, the tray almost fell of the stand she brought. | This, by the way, was NOT a very busy day at all. While there was a Red Wings game and the Auto Show going on downtown, only 5-10 tables were actually occupied while we were there. I could only imagine how terrible the service would have been if the place was busy. Needless to say, we will not be returning.
(2)Louise R.
Great atmosphere on game days and Friday nights! Coconut shrimp are fantastic and so is the mac and cheese!
(4)