House of Cards — Restaurant in Nashville-Davidson

They should call this place the House of Considerable Disappointment.

My friend and I were traveling from out of town and decided to stop in. There is no sign for the place other than the valet. It was in the 40°F range outside, so we wore leggings under our dresses. The front door guard did not stop us for dress code issues, so he let us downstairs into the underground lobby, where we were waiting for about 15 minutes.

A female server said she was going to look for a table and disappeared behind the red velvet curtain. Then a male server came in twice and just stared at us, took the party in that came after us and seated them.

The female came back and told us that because we were wearing leggings, and because my leggings had "holes" in them (they had square slots at the bottom by the ankles because that's what I had in my suitcase), that she wasn't going to be able to let us in. The website says nothing about leggings.

She didn't pull us aside to tell us this, but instead announced it to the lobby, where there were other people waiting.

Not only was this extremely unprofessional, but it was also sexist and contradictory. Why did the door guard even let us in? I was highly embarassed and felt like a second class citizen. She was very snobby in the way she said it as well, and looked no older than 20.

We talked to the manager and he did let us in (we should have left anyway), and I saw a man in jeans. So I can't wear leggings to stay warm, but that man can wear jeans even though it specifically says not to on the website? I guess denim is okay for men, but not for women. Uh, what?

The decor was fabulous, but everything else was mediocre. If I pay $50 for salmon, it shouldn't taste bland with a hint of salt. The magic show was entertaining, although he objectified women as a means to making it that way, and the quality of the show did not reflect the atmosphere of the place (borgeois and high end).

Coming from Austin I was surprised in the first place that there would even be a dress code. I was highly offended that my leggings weren't good enough for their establishment. Do they even want people's business?

I never write negative reviews, but this was an over the top, horrible and demeaning experience. Having a man and a woman look you up and down a few times before greeting you is not a great way to start the night.

Overall, this is a crud-hole in disguise. If all you care about are how people look so the photos you take and put on your website will look nice (manager's words), then what even is your business? The point of going to a place like this is to have a unique experience and a good time, but it feels more like you have to abide by their rules in order to attempt to enjoy yourself.

I am disgusted by the way we were treated, the horribly trained front staff, the mediocre over-priced food, and the sub-par magic show.

Take your money somewhere it will be appreciated, no matter what you look like. It's 2019, and they are an embarrassment to forward...

What a cool place! We were only in Nashville for 2 days and came across this gem. The dress code is strict, seeing as how we had not planned to go out somewhere nice, we bought our suits, dresses, and shoes an hour before the event. Totally worth it. It’s located inside the Johnny Cash museum. We were actually a little lost trying to find it because there’s not really a sign or anything. A well dressed man will open the door to lead you in and explain to you the rules. You will then descend some stairs into the main place. It’s very beautiful! Speakeasy, gothic vibes for sure. It’s actually why we chose it because of the novelty of magic and we are really goth, so the vibes were just right.

It’s a very intimate setting, beautifully decorated. You’ll receive a short tour once you’re inside and then led to your table. You are not allowed to take photos, so besides the food, I tried to respect that and did not take photos of anything else. I like the idea of also not being in your phone at dinner and being present 💖

The food prices will be a shock, be warned. However, it includes the price of the magicians and performances that you get to enjoy. Because of that justification, it makes sense to me. If you’re looking for a top of the line steak, go elsewhere. If you’re looking for an amazing experience- go here.

We got the beef tartare as an appetizer, the elk, side of fries, and the braised lamb shank. Beef tartare was good! I enjoyed the strange spicy jam underneath. It was definitely unique to me. I enjoyed it, but my partner did not like it but he’s also a picky eater.

The braised lamb shank was alright. Portion is BIG so there’s that. But the taste was not mind blowing or anything to write home about. A little gamey actually.

Strangely enough, the elk was NOT gamey. It was the most delicious dish we had! We have never had elk before and were expecting something extremely lean that may not be as nice to cut or chew, however we were so glad to be wrong! It was so tender and flavorful. I put aside my dishes to steal half of my partner’s (I love that he loves me haha). This dish alone would have us coming back!! If there’s one thing for you to get on the menu, let this be it.

The main performance was so fun. You are lead into a very small and initimate theatre room during your designated show time. The humor is dry and absolutely hilarious. They give you cute little tickets too so I use them for my old lady scrapbook hehe. There are also a couple of people who sit at tables in the restaurant that you can sit with and watch them and interact.

Overall this was a good experience. It was fun for a night and would make a great date night. The bathrooms are pretty and great for selfies. But the hallway to get to it is kinda creepy in the best way. The staff were phenomenal and I recommend trying this place if you’re...

The most amazing dining experience we've ever had! I can't give the place enough stars! Highly recommend!

I inquired about making reservations several months prior to my wife's 40th birthday. Immediately, Jordan Renfroe with Icon Entertainment, reached out to me and answered any question that I had. I reserved the Blackstone room as I wanted the private experience, and we had a larger group. A few days prior to our reservation date, Jordan reached out to confirm the final number in our group. At that time, I told Jordan this was a surprise for my wife and asked if our friends could arrive a few minutes early and be waiting to surprise my wife when we arrived. Jordan told me she would get with the hostess and take care of it. When my wife and I arrived, the hostess asked our name and then said, "table for two". I knew at that point they had it all set in place and my wife was in for a big surprise. Our server, I wish I could remember his name because he was amazing, escorted us through the restaurant out to the waterfall where our friends would be waiting and experienced a memory that will last a lifetime with us. To say my wife was surprised is an understatement.

The Blackstone room was the perfect choice. The waiter was very entertaining and knowledgeable, the private magician was unbelievable, and the food was outstanding. We pretty much had all the appetizers, and the glazed pork belly was my favorite. My wife had the peppercorn steak, and my steak was the way they prepare it without any extras, and they were both amazing. One of best steaks we have ever eaten. We shared sides, mac & cheese and brussel sprouts and they also were amazing! Once our dinner experience was over, we ordered dessert and received our tickets to the main show. Our server really catered to us, especially my wife since it was her 40th birthday, and even made sure we got front row seats at the show. Once again, this magician was mind blowing! After the show our server escorted us out to the waterfall/lounge area and had our desserts waiting for us. After dessert we spent more time with other magicians set up throughout the restaurant. Did I say how amazing the magicians were?!

We spent five hours at HOC and have to say it was probably the best night we've ever had in Nashville. My wife left there saying she had never felt so special. Thank you, HOC staff and magicians, for making this experience a night to remember. We will definitely return...