Houndstooth Restaurant — Restaurant in Benton Harbor

Houndstooth is worth the trip. We ran into others from Indy & a couple Michigan transplants.

The server went through the entire menu line by line before we ordered. They like you to order all at once but never making you feel rushed at all. As some dishes were delivered by the kitchen reps each was explained & what to expect relative to flavor.

I pictured in this review the menu to reference. We started off with the Sunflowers & Burrata. We loved it. No over the top flavor & the mild balsamic flavor gave this just the best taste with the Burrata.

The BBQ carrots were amazing. They were a little charred without a charred flavor. They were cooked very well & not a crunchy consistency at all.

The Escargot was something I have not tried in decades. It was fabulous. I loved the tiny forks & finding the treats hidden in the shells. What made this best was the lemon, melted butter & caper flavor to compliment the flavor & consistency of the Escargot.

The crunchy potatoes is the one dish they said is a regular as the menu changes from time to time. They were nice & crunchy with the right amount of softness on the inside. The sauce was a small drizzle on top of a cream sauce. The picante was on the bottom. This allowed us to dish & drizzle the perfect amount. The picante had a little heat to it but not much. Maybe just a little less heat & flavor of a Frank’s Hot Sauce or similar (fyi it wasn’t actually Frank’s Hot Sauce).

The Bread & Butter was a Japanese Milk Bread. It may look dry but has some cognac in it to moisten it up just right. The black garlic & chives on top made it fabulous. Cut from top to bottom & make sure each bite has the black garlic & chives.

I had the slow steak which showed up blanketed in house chips with a drizzle of paprika powder. What a nice surprise to find the well cooked hanger steak. The vegetable marmalade didn’t make or break this dish. I had half without it & it was wonderful as is. The marmalade was good as well but wouldn’t miss it. The manchego mornay is a must on this dish.

The Halibut didn’t have a strong fishy taste but at the maybe just little fishy flavor on the finish. It’s not my thing but my wife said for those that like Halibut will not be disappointed.

The White Meso Blonde had a nice balanced chocolate flavor. The crispies on top were great with a little drizzle of the yuzu which had the right amount of tartness not to ruin the smooth chocolate flavor.

We did have cocktails. I had the Negroni Bianco where this place made it their way. While this had too much of a smokey flavor for a Negroni for my taste, it is worth a try. The Jungle Bird was a nice flavorful fruity cocktail.

I was impressed with the quality of food for such a great price. We expected to pay significantly more for this experience (& would have). They do a good job of coaching you on ordering a few things & sharing which is the best way to enjoy this eatery. Trust me there’s plenty of food to share on each dish for 2 people.

If we’re ever back this way, we’ll definitely...

Nestled in the reburgeoning downtown of Benton Harbor is Houndstooth, the fresh restaurant that is drawing rave reviews from foodies near and far. I was near, so I decided to check it out along with my wife. I found the whole experience a revelation in contrasts. The upscale cuisine is juxtaposed by a simple modest venue. Mammoth flavors were contrasted by a limited menu. Even within each dish, we found the yin and yang of textures, the balance of flavors, and a stellar presentation to match. We began with Wagyu Tartare to share. Wagyu is a superb Japanese beef known for its silky texture. Cured egg yolk helps hold the patty together, and fine shoestring potatoes add the contrasting crunch to the velvet texture of the beef. One of the owners told me that this dish is in homage to Anthony Bourdain who loved Wagyu, but they just put our own little twist on it. Sharing is encouraged, so we shared some BBQ Carrots, just because it sounded weird. The carrots are charred and fully cooked, yet still firm. Earthy tones of carrot and cumin in the creme, contrast with bright, crisp palate splashes from orange, red onion and microgreens. I cook a lot of pork, but usually grilled or smoked; so I was intrigued by a pasta dish featuring milk-braised pork, mustard cream and delicate whispers of tarragon. Paccheri is a girthy tube-shaped pasta, and it was perfectly cooked. The creme sauce, pork and tarragon made a wonderful savory blend to dress the noodles, which were contrasted by the crunchy toasted bread crumb topping. The chef brought out his own concept dish which married Asian ingredients with a chicken and waffles theme. It’s listed as Black Bean Chicken on the menu, but the chicken hides under a covering of Shishito peppers and little dumplings known as Chinese donuts, which play the waffle role. It tasted wonderful with only subtle nods to Japanese cuisine. We had Creamsicle Poke Cake for dessert with cloud cream and orange. Once again, the softness of the cake was countered with chocolate nibs and crunchy meringue piping. It was dreamy. Houndstooth has a full bar which is stocked with unique brands that are hand selected to create certain original cocktails, like the delicious Velvet Monkey. This gin-laced glass of goodness featured fino sherry, elderflower, winter citrus, and a smoky herb oil that floats on the surface. Not to tattle, but my wife had two. The menu is divided into four sections; Snacks start at $6, Share starts at $11, Big Plates start at $27 and Sweets are $8. Seating capacity is only 48 and the restaurant is often filled, so take advantage of their reservations feature on its website. When you go, ask about its unique...

We were really looking forward to dining here. Based on the online reviews and the higher-end pricing on the menu, we expected a standout experience. Unfortunately, what we encountered didn’t live up to the hype and left us disappointed.

A breakdown of our visit:

The space is quite small, which in itself isn’t necessarily a problem - but the layout packs diners in tightly, making the environment feel more crowded than intimate. It was difficult to have a relaxed conversation without overhearing the tables around us.

Service was a major letdown. The staff seemed stretched thin and almost robotic, likely because of how busy the place was. No one was rude, but it felt like they were just going through the motions. We weren’t greeted warmly, and there was very little follow-up once we were seated. For a restaurant that clearly aims to be in the upscale category, that lack of attentiveness was a little surprising.

Timing was an issue across the board. It took about 15–20 minutes just to get two drinks - and oddly, they didn’t even arrive at the same time. One showed up, and the second came about 5–10 minutes later with no explanation. The food was similarly slow to arrive, and since our server barely checked in, we were left wondering what was happening. It created a sense of disconnection and impatience that lingered through the meal.

As for the food, the main reason we were excited to try this place - it just didn’t deliver. We ordered two small plates and one large plate, hoping to sample a bit of everything. Sadly, none of it stood out. The flavors were muted, the presentation was fine but nothing memorable, and there wasn’t a bite that made us feel like the visit was worth it. For the price point, we expected a lot more creativity or at least something that felt well-executed. Instead, the dishes were.. unremarkable.

In the end, the entire experience felt like a mismatch between expectation and execution. There’s clearly ambition at this spot, between the menu, the pricing, and the branding - all suggesting a premium dining experience. But the reality didn’t reflect that. Between the long waits, lackluster service, and average food, I just didn't feel like the online review accurately reflected the general quality...