Houlihan's — Restaurant in Secaucus

I have been seeing this place for years. I even somehow get emails from them. So I decided to grab dinner here before a movie and have a date night. What a terrible idea. When we got in, the host was very nice and sat us immediately. Our table, however, had a beetle or termite or some kind of large black bug running on top of it. Had to use a menu to fling it to the floor for someone else to enjoy. Next, it was HUMID AF inside. Like almost to the point of being uncomfortable. Our server was nice, taking our orders, and rushing the change the drink order after we noticed there were summer tiki drinks after the order was put in. I ordered fish tacos (that said it came with chips), and the husband ordered scallops. The chips are being mentioned again because we were going to order chips and salsa as an app, but since they came with the tacos, no prob. We also ordered a seared tuna and chicken wings. Chicken wings. Came swimming in soy sauce AND covered in the Thai chili sauce. Result = enough sodium to pickle a human. 2, Scallops. Not only were they slightly overcooked, but who's idea was it to put a ring of vinegar around the polenta? It's a really gross taste when you combine the two. As I said, I ordered fish tacos. When our orders came out, I got a huge platter of fish and chips. The server accidentally put in the wrong order for me. NO worries! I'm kind of patient. As my husband ate and finished his whole meal, my tacos finality came out....with a side of French fries! That was the moment I was completely over this place. And I didn't have time to complain, as our movie was starting in 15 minutes. Had to unhook my jaw and shovel it all in. To be fair, the server apologized and gave us a small discount. But the entire experience left a very bitter taste in my mouth. A severe let down of waiting tmand longing about a place for so long, only to have the most shattering...

EDIT: The food is not Halal.

Overall the Staff were nice, and the service was remarkably quick. This is a good formal restaurant for people who might want to celebrate an event, or holiday. The only issue I had was that the restaurant had booths that were relatively small. So if your going out with friends and family you'll be a little cramped. However there are tables, and the reservation process is straightforward. The best deal they have is a $20 full course, you get an appetizer, entree, and the dessert. You get about 5 choices for the appetizer, 10 appetizers ranging from buffalo wings to salads the entree, ranges from chicken tenders, and fries to Salisbury steak, with mashed potatoes to the hoolihans burger which was really good. And finally for the desert you get 3 choices, ice cream, butter cake (which comes with a scoop of ice cream as well), and another item which I have no recollection of. For dessert the obvious choice is the butter cake, it is to die for! It's warm and moist on the inside, with a rich salty buttery taste and unique texture, the scoop of vanilla ice cream on top is the perfect complement to it. Also in terms of portion size the food is generally very large, but the ice cream dessert is smaller in portion size than the butter cake, all you get is two or three scopes instead of one, it makes more sense to just go with the butter cake since you'll get 1 scope of ice cream anyway. The only thing odd was the French onion soup, it had a ton of melted cheese and the cheese might have overpowered the flavor of the onion soup, but other than that the food was good. Not the best I've seen but still pretty good so it's worth checking...

I had never experience this bad service. Starting with the host she was rude. We waited for a table like 10 minutes with another party that arrived after us. There was plenty of tables available. So when i ask her if there was a table knowing that there was,she said to give her a couple of minutes. After, she send jose one of the waiters to sit us. After been on the table we thought jose was going to be our waiter. He wasn't we waited there sitting for another 20 to 25 minutes. While waiting we saw the host setting tables and knowing that we he been there for a long time waiting she just looked at us until i ask her. So she send a waiter who was the same waiter that took us to the table. I had my wife and my two kids who were with an appetite. He just took our order after doing so he never came back. After 25 minutes later the drink with my kids meal arrived. Jose the waiter never returned . So this lady Andrea started to ask us if everything was ok. It until we ask her that we were still waiting for my wife's and my food. She went and checked but the other waiter. Never send it in so we just decided to get the check and leave. I had been there at that location before, and never felt that kind of service don't want to say word I have in mind. But one thing for sure is that my money is the same as the money that I saw were been taking care of more better than us. I use to be a server down in florida at a same restaurant. And never got a complain like this. The staff need to get more training on how to deal with guest. I know is not every one but last night the people starting with the host was and the two waiters,wasn't...