House of Pies Restaurant & Bakery — Restaurant in Houston

My husband and I visited House of Pies our very first time today. Considering the reviews are really good and the photos look yummy, we were looking forward to it.

Well, I think everything would have gone well if the server seemed to care more about the customer experience.

I will start with the sweet tea being sour. The first sip I took I was revolted, I let her know the tea is sour and I opted for a different drink. I wasn’t jaded at this point as I have worked as a server and sometimes that happens. No biggy. I did find it strange that she agreed with me and mumbled something about it not being cleaned or changed in a while… She then brought me a new drink, but left that giant full glass of sour tea on the table. Okay, weird. Just took up space on the table.

We go to order, I get the strawberry spinach salad and added chicken. She couldn’t figure out the price to add chicken, but I assumed it wouldn’t be more than $5 like most restaurants. When we got the ticket it was an $8 up charge!!! Definitely won’t do that again. I also did not receive my dinner roll that was supposed to come with the meal.

The salad itself was fresh and delicious. All of the food was actually really nice. We were ready to go and we ordered some pies to go. I ordered a key lime pie for my husband and a buttermilk pie for myself.

She went to inform me they were out of buttermilk pie, took back her words and assured me they had it.

She left to grab Togo boxes for our food and when she came back, she asked if we were ready for the ticket. Our answer was is yes. We go to pay, see that all items are accounted for on the ticket and we leave an %18 tip. Before she leaves she asks us what pies we ordered again (even though its on the ticket) we remind her she then says “we’re our of buttermilk pie” and I don’t mind so I start saying a different one and she stops me and says “oh wait, we do have it”. Okay great! Can’t wait. She brings us the pies and we head out.

I did not particularly enjoy the service we received but I was looking forward to be redeemed by the delicious pies we brought home.

Well, we open the pie boxes and find a lovely key lime pie and a PUMPKIN PIE!

That was it for me. I’m 9 months pregnant and my patience is only so much these days. So, here I am sharing this experience. Perhaps she was having a bad day, but the vibe she was giving was that she just didn’t care. Or maybe we did something to tick her off. I don’t know.

If her intentions were to hurt me, well it worked. I was so ready for that...

Make sure you ask to see your cake or pie before you leave here! The carrot cake that we got for my mum wasn't freshly made and tasted stale. It was smashed as if someone had sat on it and not fully decorated. The quality of House of Pies is lacking. However, they appear to be more focused on customer service:

I can't say much about the food, but the service was solid. I visited the South Houston location yesterday to pick my mum up a birthday carrot pecan and was amazed by how cluttered it was from the door.

I thought to myself, "Why are all these pie boxes hoarded around the entrance?" The bakery line and restaurant line were close so there wasn't much separation. Two cashiers were handling the bakery line. The first one towards the left, Ms. Jaleesa calls me up to order. Out of nowhere, an elderly man walks up to her.

The restaurant host tries to intervene, but the guy is thrilled to see Ms. Jaleesa. So, I just wait until the next cashier is available. Then, Ms. Jaleesa asked the guy to leave as he was giving her a gift of appreciation. She immediately greets me with a big smile.

Next, she's personable asking us how are we and what could she assist us with. Then, I tell her what I'm picking up. She made service quick as she walked to the fridge to get the cake. She explained that she was happy we visited today since tomorrow there'll be a line around the building for Thanksgiving desserts.

I'm thrilled because I hate lines and seeing a multitude of people looking at you nonstop like a deer in headlights.

Throughout the whole process, Ms. Jalessa maintains her smile and personable attitude. She wasn't rude or dismissive. She was very polite and was made to feel welcomed. She was exceptional with customer service. She could have easily chosen to be like the host and not crack a smile, but no she must enjoy her role to know how to treat people.

That being said, why aren't there consistencies across the board? This restaurant is built upon desserts which created its franchise, so the desserts should be up to standards as well. I can tell you alone that I wouldn't be coming back. My mum couldn't even finish the cake and it was a waste that the trash was enjoyed more than she could. Absolute...

First and foremost, the only reason I'm giving 5 ⭐'s is the manager Brian, and George, the young food runner. I came in around 4am Friday after work and had the roast beef with Swiss melt and mashed potatoes with brown gravy. The sweet tea was 💯 🥰 and so was my sammich. The service was great. Just enjoyable all the way around. Woke up Friday evening and took my wife to go eat . I wanted another roast beef sammich. We get there and are seated. It takes around 10 minutes before the waiter , Ivan , comes to get our drink order. At LEAST 8 minutes goes by before we get our tea. We say we need a couple minutes to decide (my wife's first time and there's a lot to choose from) . Well he disappeared. 15 minutes later , we realize he's been sitting in a booth chit chatting with coworkers. I stood up to get his attention and he doesn't see me. . My wife's walks to the corner and he finally sees and comes over. We order and it takes a while. George , the young hustling kid , brings our food and I see Ivan sitting down again. After a few words , he left and we ate. I'm a people watcher. George stayed busy and attentive the entire time. Carrying big trays of food , running to get last minute requests. He was phenomenal. I would definitely hire him . He has a great attitude and work ethic. After eating, I spoke to the manager, which I never do. Brian was quick to apologize for Ivan's service and tried to make ammends. I just want him to recognize George for his dedication to service and talk to Ivan about being attentive. He shouldn't be sitting in a booth socializing when his customers are looking for him. Brian was awesome. Very professional. I could tell he wasn't just hearing me . He was listening with care and understanding. I'm not letting one bad apple spoil the pie. My first waitress (I think Amy was her name. Short black hair) was great . Attentive to all her tables , very frequently. Ivan , you gotta send out a search party for..... Especially to Brian and George.... Thank you for making tonight a great dining experience. The food is delicious! You definitely want to try this place if you haven't been yet .... I need way more space to talk about the pies and...