Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) infection triggers a rapid induction of host innate immune responses. The type I interferon (IFN) signal pathway is a central aspect of host defense which induces a wide range of antiviral proteins to control infection of incoming pathogens. In some cases, viral invasion also induces DNA damage response, autophagy, endoplasmic reticulum stress, cytoplasmic stress granules and other innate immune responses, which in turn affect viral infection. However, HSV-1 has evolved multiple strategies to evade host innate responses and facilitate its infection. In this review, we summarize the most recent findings on the molecular mechanisms utilized by HSV-1 to counteract host antiviral innate immune responses with specific focus on the type I IFN signal pathway.