Benchmark eatery

We came back. Figured to give them another shot. Sat for 15 mins with no one coming by to offer water or ask us what we would like to order. We left. Terrible service once again.

Just hosted a group of 20 women on the outside patio. The chickpea teaser was sure a hit.
Large proportions, attentive staff, and interesting menu. Some of the Brophy favorites, their signature clam chowder and favorite fish tacos were consumed with enthusiasm. Even the pickiest eater was thrilled. These ladies will be back!

I’ve been to Benchmark a few times and I have had great meals and drinks every time. The environment is really nice and clean, and it’s not too crowded with tables which is good. The service is always great, the waiting staff is very friendly and helpful.
The drinks are great, I really enjoy the Pimms which I now get every time I go. My boyfriend always requests an Old Fashioned which isn’t on their drink menu (they have their own version which has a lot of cinnamon flavor and tastes a lot like Fireball so beware) and they always make it the traditional way by request which is nice to know.
The most recent time I went, I got the salmon which was delicious. The potatoes were really good and it came with a side of veggies too. The entrée was $ 20 which is pretty decent for salmon. My sister got the kale salad which comes with salami, prosciutto and potatoes and she really enjoyed it and said it was filling and that was $ 12 which is very reasonable for a salad with meat. They serve fried chickpeas as a complimentary table appetizer and they are addicting!
Definitely would recommend Benchmark to anyone who lives in or is visiting Santa Barbara. There is something for everyone.

Right off the bat, I have to start by saying that Sean is one of the best bartenders I’ve ever come across. He’s attentive, personable, courteous, and best of all, he makes the effort to remember you. Everything you could ask for in a bartender. He alone is a good enough reason to come back time and again.
The Benchmark Blonde is hands down my favorite beer on tap up and down State Street, and I don’t even normally like blondes.
The shrimp tacos are so incredible, they’re the only thing I ever order.
Happy hour is the best time to go, as most of their best items are discounted, including the drafts and the shrimp tacos.

This is a spacious open restaurant with plenty of room between the tables to walk about. I had lunch with my daughter and it was very good. I ordered a cup of Clam Chowder Soup it was thick, creamy and loaded with Clams just the way I like it. We both ordered the one fish and one shrimp taco dish. They were so good. Tender and crunchy with amazing toppings: pickled onions, cabbage, slices of avocado and the sauce were delicious.
Our waitress was a dear sweet young women, she was helpful, attentive, courteous all the things you want and expect from a waitress.
Overall, the restaurant was clean, the service was excellent, the food was delicious and it was an awesome experience.

Figured I’d give this another go and see where this would take me.
The chickpeas were hot this time and crisp — yum.
Seafood pasta — really great — the seafood was fresh and tasty (a little concerned that the clams might have been under cooked — but still yummy). The pasta was great.
The short ribs — juicy, tasty and a lot of food. The veggies were over cooked.
The service was great — we were very much attended to — until we got our food and then crickets.
I’m still not a fan — probably due to price point at $ 60 (2 lunch entrees, 1 soup, 1 soda) seems a bit high — even for state street.

This place is great for drinks and dessert. I highly recommend the Pimms Cup and the churros w/​chocolate dipping sauce. I very much enjoyed the carnitas tacos as well.

Decided to give Benchmark another go. I am glad I did! We had a nice dinner this past week and went home feeling full and happy. Food was great — I had the Sea Bass and he had the Salmon. The sauces were really something — his a beurre blanc and mine, a romesco I believe. The cocktail was great — old fashioned (I think) with a delicious house made sour cherry. Oh, and the chocolate pot de crème — wow! Those candied pistachios really hit it out of the ball park.
Only complaint, and why not 5 stars, is there was quite a bit of miscommunication regarding the gluten-​free options. I am extremely appreciate of restaurants’ willingness to help and being so respectful in regards to the gluten allergy. Benchmark definitely was — however, the gluten-​free menu was illegible because it had gotten wet previously and the server just didn’t know one way or the other. She was not proactive about it. Not a huge deal, we got it figured out once I talked to the manager. He was super duper helpful. Everyone was gracious and we really enjoyed ourselves. I think in this day in age it’s important to know the ingredients as best you can and I love having a gluten-​free menu so I don’t have to feel like I’m asking to many questions/​requests.

This was a very good casual place to eat. I stuck with two appetizers (steamed muscles and fried pickles) and my wife had the buttermilk fried chicken. She was absolutely amazed by the vegetables and the chicken itself was very good. Our portions were quite large and the wait staff was very attentive. We were there on a Monday night, so the MNF game was on the large, HD TV by the bar. There was heated outdoor seating available, but we chose the cozy tables inside. Overall, this was a great place to go.

Ugh! I was so disappointed with the food. I ordered three things, fried pickles, chicken wings and the buttermilk chicken entrée. Gross. All three dishes were overly salty and the mashed potatoes that came with the chicken tasted like they came out of a box.
That being said, the service was on point and the restaurant was beautiful. I love how the bar opens up to the large patio. I may return once more and order different dishes because I have heard great things about Benchmark.

The service here was excellent, and I was surprised that it was not crowded. It is possible they had an off night, or I picked the wrong dishes but I was disappointed with the food.
Our server was very nice and attentive, without the excellent service it would be less stars.
The chickpeas were interesting, so kudos for doing something different. I ordered the fried pickles, which were okay but very salty and heavy in a tasty yogurt dipping sauce, but huge portions and I couldn’t eat more than a couple.
I also got the smoked hot wings, probably the best dish I had there. The smoky flavor comes through really well, but it was also very salty. I appreciate doing bone on wings, but makes it very difficult to eat and even messier than normal wings. However hard to eat many, they give you so much and the mess and the salt becomes too much after the novelty factor wears off.
What I was most disappointed with was the half chicken entrée with mash potatoes. With such salty dishes I was surprised to find them very bland, the salt from the gravy on top helped a little but the gravy itself was mediocre. The chicken while well breaded, was huge in portion and had a bit of an odd taste to it, maybe the oil they fry with or other food being fried in the same oil?
I ate very little and walked away feeling stuffed from the heavy, salty food. I was excited to eat here with so many great reviews, and again maybe being a Brophy Brothers venue the seafood is better, but I was left unsatisfied and let down.
I do plan on going back to try different dishes and hopefully a better experience. The service was stellar, and the patio is great, not too crowded or noisy.

I’ve only been here twice and I have to say that I’ve had nothing but A+ service here. The staff is great and they make sure you are tended to throughout your visit.
Everything that I’ve tried has been delicious! My top choices would be the fish & shrimp tacos, and the poblano pizza.
The grilled steak sandwich was delicious and the meat was very tender and not chewy at all. This sandwich has all the ingredients that I love, such as arugula, tomatoes, grilled onions, and a red pepper aioli served on a baguette.
I love the complimentary chick peas they serve. The seasoning kinda reminds me of KFC spices. Definitely addicting and a nice treat!
My go to drink here is Dante’s inferno. They had me at coconut and strawberry shrub! This drink has a spicy kick at first from the arbol chile but not so hot that It takes away from the drink. It’s slightly sweet and very refreshing. After a few sips it won’t be so spicy.
They have a great looking bar inside and a very nice outside dining area as well. Seems like dining outside is most popular here.
Give this place a try and check out my UYE Sunday Funday review on Benchmark for more delicious pics of their food!

I’ve been to Benchmark eatery a few times and it has become a reliable place to get a good meal, good drink, and at a good price. The service was on point during my last visit and we were greeted & seated quickly.
Benchmark is great for both lunch and dinner with ample outdoor seating. I’d recommend the fried chicken sandwich, benchmark burger, pulled pork sandwich, fried chicken & mashed potatoes, and gigantic fish tacos.
If you like whiskey, the Old School is a great cocktail and they also have a lot of good craft beers available. Be sure to cap off the night with the house-​made, fresh churros.

All around, good american style restaurant. I have been here a handful of times and the staff is always friendly and attentive. They start you off with fried chickpeas, which are surprisingly delicious and addictive. I haven’t had a bad meal yet, but would highly recommend the fried chicken sandwich, fish tacos, and pulled pork sandwich. Make sure to save room for dessert, the churros are a must!

When it comes to whether or not I like a restaurant it usually boils down to three things, the food, the service and the cleanliness of the restaurant. Benchmark is a slam dunk on all of those fronts, with an added bonus of having a stellar bar and excellent ambiance on their expansive outdoor patio overlooking State Street in downtown Santa Barbara.
On the culinary front, Benchmark’s food is good, clean, and simple. If you’re looking for something fancy, this may not be the place for you. If you’re looking for a quality, consistent, casual dining experience, Benchmark hits the mark!
Order well, folks! Here are a few of my favs:
Kale Antipasto: This is my go-​to entrée when I want to feel like I am eating healthy and still get full. This salad is packed with flavor! Fresh chopped kale, slightly spicy shaved salami, prosciutto, swiss chard, grilled fennel, roasted tomatoes, butter beans, crunchy fingerling potatoes (think mini potato chips), and a garlic vinaigrette. Everything works really well together and it easily makes a meal for one person on it’s own.
Fish Tacos: The beer-​battered fish is moist and flaky on the inside, with a crispy, thick batter on the outside. So yummy I could eat the fish all by itself but it is complimented nicely with shredded cabbage, queso fresco, pickled onions, and salsa blanco.
Garlic Baked Clams: Just like Brophy’s and they are delightful! Baked clam in shell, topped with breadcrumbs, garlic, sherry, horseradish, whole grain mustard and of course BACON! Bacon makes everything better folks, (I even have a shirt that says so :).
Pablano Pizza: pablano chile cream sauce, carnitas, mozzarella, red bell pepper, caramelized onion, queso fresco, jalepeno lime drizzle. This is not your conventional pizza but it works. I like to add a little hot sauce to kick it up a notch!
Benchmark’s menu is vast and with so many favorites there are a lot of dishes that I haven’t gotten around to trying yet so I am sure my list will expand.
This is a great restaurant for families, groups, couples or people riding solo. You can cozy up at the bar, sit in a booth or find a table on the patio.
Service has always been great in my experience and management seems to be very open to feedback from guests. Mallory, on the floor, and Randy, at the bar, are two employees that shine.
Happy Hour is great. $ 2 off starters and a bunch of drinks at $ 5. 4pm — 6pm EVERYDAY!
When BE first opened it wasn’t on the top of my regular restaurant rotation list, I’m so happy I kept coming back because after a year of being open they have really refined their menu and perfected what that serve. This is now a frequent stop for me and my family. Cheers!

We had a nice group on the patio here sunday, there was a lot of great food offerings;
First came the Smoked Hot Wings — house-​made hot sauce, bleu cheese dressing, and celery.
I think the top was the Fish Tacos — beer-​battered fish, shredded cabbage, queso fresco, pickled onions, with salsa blanco and they kept them coming!
Kale Antipasto — shaved salami, prosciutto, swiss chard, kale, grilled fennel, roasted tomatoes, butter beans, crispy fingerling potatoes, garlic vinaigrette.
Next on deck was the
Pulled Pork — sliders, with house-​made bbq sauce, cole slaw, crispy fried onion, brioche bun… non stop!
Not to be under sold was the
Pablano Pizza — with pablano chile cream sauce, carnitas, mozzarella, red bell pepper, caramelized onion, queso fresco, jalapeño lime drizzle
finished with house-​made churros, dark chocolate dipping sauce they had a salty sweet fresh made delight-​fulness!
And the drinks…
Dante’s Inferno (its spicy) — 100% agave blanco tequila, clément mahina coconut liquor, arbol chili, fresh lime, strawberry shrubdrinks too,
Summer Sangria — fruity, sweet, and refreshing made from the pineapple, rose wine, orange, and hint of cinnamon.
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The Old School — redemption rye, angostura, orange oil, house infused cherry
the beer selection was great too i had the Telegraph Belgian Style Ale — love my red beer!
The staff was off the hook, and was great!
The inside is quaint but not bad the patio is great I think dining here on the patio is where the best atmosphere is its open and well laid out.
Cant wait to come back and try the shrimp tacos!

As we all know, the reason we try new restaurants is due to the culinary mystery behind any new eatery, the question if the chef will be able to wow us with a familiar dish, or to introduce us to something new. Yet, it takes so much more than great food to keep patrons coming back for more.
Arriving at Benchmark yesterday I was right away impressed with the open and fresh aesthetics of the décor, we dined on the patio, the tables were far enough apart to give people the feeling of privacy.
Benchmark is a stellar place to take a group of friends, I can totally see myself going back during the weekend, relaxing with a good drink and visiting with friends while dining all appetizers.
The fish tacos without a doubt are the bomb diggity, in fact you don’t even realize your eating fish which is always a plus for miss finicky here. After speaking with the GM John who was more than willing to hear our feedback, he let us know that they just added shrimp tacos to the menu, say what? Sign me up!
The pork sliders were also very good, the pork was smokey and tender to the bite.
All in all a top notch afternoon of good drinks, good food, and terrific service and I should add awesome friends.

Santa Barbara is a rotating door for restaurants, I hope this place stays for a long time,
The food was great, we had sliders, pizza, wings, fish tacos and drinks…
You MUST have the fish tacos and the sliders with your drinks, the poblano pizza was great after all the drinks, great place to hang out with friends.

Great and withan open bar and side patio. friendly staff
I had a summer sangria has a great tang to it, made with guava, pineapple, orange and cinnamon and rose wine. The food was great. .had a breaded fish taco with avocado and caceje cheese and pulled pork slider
Also had a kale antipasto salad with shaved salami and and prosciutto, grilled fennel and rotated tomatoes fabulous

Fun downtown spot when you are cruising around on a Saturday shopping or a good meet up with friends or what not.
They really did a great job and it’s nice to see them so busy!