Came here on a Sunday by myself. Got brunch without bottomless mimosa (it's boring to drink alone). The food is amazing for a brunch buffet, and I really like the donut wall for eaters to pick the flavor they like read more

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5 stars and beyond. Came to brunch to celebrate our friends going away party and we were blown away. Buffet was amazing and the staff from the doormen, to the management were on point. Cannot speak enough words though about server. SARAH WAS THE BOMB!!!! our champagne glasses were never empty and our white claw buckets were replenished at the speed of light. Benchmark you have a great asset on your hands, everyone left extremely happy thanks to her! we will be returning! read more

Pissed as hell got a $40 drink I've had it be4 summer it was about $25 so I came back today they said it was $40 I was like okay since I enjoyed it I got it only 2find that the bottle of grand mariner wasn't grand mariner they filled the bottle up with the margarita that was in the glass over priced bullshit read more

Benchmark Chicago - Sports Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I had a great experience at Benchmark. We came for the bottomless food and drink brunch. $50 per person. The food options were always fresh (except the salad). The build your own waffle and omelette stations were very good! There's a donut wall...so unique! The Mac and cheese was goood! The server always filled our glasses with champagne for mimosas. They gave my boyfriend a great birthday surprise with free Jell-O shots. Worth it! You can make reservations too. read more

Benchmark Chicago - Buffet choices. So freaking good - Sports Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Food is always so good here! I love their fries so much! Also the boneless chicken wings are great! I usually get the buffalo or honey siracha. My favorite part.. $3 jameson shots on thursdays! We got there around 930, the kitchen closes at 10. It's seat yourself. Our server Genevieve was so nice! read more

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IMO, Benchmark puts all other brunches to shame! The food is great, your drinks are always full, and everyone always has fun. I can not wait to visit Chicago again and go to Benchmark because there really isn't anything like it in NYC. read more

Stopped by for drinks with a friend on a Saturday evening and sat outside. Huge bar inside, decent menu, and drinks. The service was fantastic, even though they were quite busy. Our server was attentive and friendly and we never had to seek her out. We had a couple rounds of drinks and then ordered mini burgers with Merkt's cheddar and fries. I'm not the biggest fan of Merkt's cheddar as it can be quite sharp and rich. I also got to try a new beer for the first time - Pipeworks Brewing Ninja vs. Unicorn. If you enjoy hoppy beers, try out this double IPA. read more

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Have been here for brunch and for a night out with friends. I gotta say vibes were very different both times so it just depends on the day. The brunch food, there's a lot of options and the lady pouring us our bottomless mimosas was extremely generous the night out vibe was weird but I tHink it was just the DJ read more

Super fun and best boozy brunch! The buffet has so much choice and the donut wall is awesome! Definitely the place to be on a Saturday. read more

Benchmark Chicago - Sports Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Sarah W. is the most lit girl ever! She helped my party of 25+ out and we had the best time for the birthday girl's time. She always checked up on us, made sure we were topped off and she was just the best! read more

What a disappointing end to a Friday night! A group of my girlfriends and I came here last night and had a table which we sat at the whole night. We were having a great time, as we usually do, until the lights came on, and the night took a turn for the worse. We had recently closed our tab when the lights came on, and we're waiting for our checks before we were able to leave. Well, an employee who might have been a manager(he was one of the few employees not wearing all black) came over and started screaming at our table to leave! Trust me, we're used to the normal "LASSSSST CALLLL" but this was something else. We ordered drinks when they originally yelled last call, and literally just received them. Let alone, we didn't even receive our check yet! We explained this to the man and he (I couldn't make this up) got in our faces and inevitably dropped the F bomb! He told us straight up, that he didn't care that we just received our drinks, we needed to get the f$&@ out! So we're rushing to leave now, finally got our check, and my friend noticed that her jacket which was on the end of the bench is missing! She asked the man that was yelling at our table(he was the closest help she could find) if any jackets had been turned in, and he said "not yours!" He refused to even let her look at the ones that had! All in all, that employee showed us the epitome of bad customer service. I was SO fed-up with this place last night that I definitely don't plan to return, which is sad, because this was a past favorite spot that my crew frequented often. Sorry Benchmark, but you need to hire some non-asshole employees! read more

I would like to start with the positives. They play quite good music which consists of rap and R&B. Now for the rest. We were serviced drinks 2 minutes before the bar closed and we yelled at for not drinking fast enough. One of the friends told what looked like the manager that we were just serviced and waiting for the bill. She also told him politely that she would finish her beer quickly (this was her first one). The manager or person that seemed to have the most authority told my friend to shut the f@&$ up. I feel this is inappropriate in any circumstance, especially if that was the manager. They should lead by example. He also was pointing in her face and telling her to get out. I understand we all have rough days at work and continuously work long hours but this is truly unacceptable . I will not be returning and I hope the staff treats their customers better read more

I finally tried food from here late at night on a Saturday with a few friends. We had a table by the entrance. Service wasn't anything spectacular, but the bar was pretty busy when we were here. I ordered the BLT with fries and thought it tasted good meaning it tasted just like I'd expect a BLT to taste like and a little above that. Nothing really stood out, but I go to this bar to drink and have fun... so having food that is at least decent is all that matters to me in this type of setting late at night. My review update is short, so please read my prior review to find out my thoughts on the bar from the non-food perspective. I usually only come here or The Vig when I go out in Old Town (at night). read more

Benchmark Chicago - BLT with fries - Sports Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This place is amazing! I went here for my best friends 21st birthday brunch and let me tell you, wow. The manager, Marty, is such a great guy. I'm vegan and he personally came to the table and spoke with me regarding the options that I had. Then he took it one step further and brought my entire table vegan options out. No other manager has ever done this for me and I was refreshed by his generosity and genuineness. He really made me feel comfortable and made my entire day better. I highly recommend Benchmark to all, I promise your experience will be worth it. read more

Benchmark is the absolute best. This food and their drink pour are top notch!!! Come here for happy hour and I promise you won't go anywhere else! read more

Best bar food by far!! Love the vibe and the service here is great! Highly recommend their pizza

This is a great spot! We came here on a sunday afternoon just in time for brunch! I'm not such a big fan of brunch foods, but don't worry about that because this place has everything! I ordered the Nacho's and they were delicious. My friends got a side of tatter tots (that they thought were just for them), however when they came out this side was big enough to feed a whole army. Don't worry that wasn't a problem. I happily helped them eat what they weren't able to! I will definitely be back to try other options, or just get the nacho's again! read more

Benchmark Chicago - Sports Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Came here with a group of friends for my birthday on Thursday ($10 all you can eat tacos). I think that if the regular menu offers seafood options they should offer that for this event too. I don't eat meat other than seafood so I paid for a tortilla full of lettuce and salsa . Have some veggies people!! I loved that they had my table ready in the best spot possible and our waitress was fast and friendly. This is a great spot to hang out at but parking was a big issue here. Come early if you want tacos because not only do you waste time finding parking but you also have to wait for them to refill the small station. read more

Benchmark Chicago - Rooftop - Sports Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Bouncers are undertrained and judgmental towards customers . Maybe they should open the door for their customers instead of me doing their job for them . Simple gradituity is enough to not be allowed into the bar apparently . Terrible example to set for a prestigious old town area . read more

Such a good brunch spot! We went for a friends birthday & had such a great time. The buffet brunch selection is on point! They had everything from made to order omelets, a donut wall, meat carving station, Mac n cheese, pizza, oysters, shrimp etc! It's a great price & there's bottomless mimosas & bloodys. The music was great, as well. There was a slight issue with timing of the next reservation for our table but the manager was AWESOME! He offered our party (of 11 people) 2 rounds of shots for free plus 20% off the entire check. Fixed things in my book!! Thanks again...will definitely be back! read more

Sarah W made our time here at benchmark. Super attentive and nice. Will come back for her! Food and vibe was also pretty amazing if you're looking to party. read more

Great bar. Been here many times. Probably will come back. BUT, they were streaming lolla on every tv and when I asked the manager, who is a doppelgänger of Jimmy Carr, to change to a different artist stream... he refused. We initially came into the bar to get food but STAYED for several hours to continue to watch lolla. We were the only ones actually paying any attention to the stream (there were max 30 people inside at any time). Is it really that big of a deal to change the stream? Are you not in the service industry? I don't think our request was that ridiculous or annoying after me my friends collectively spent around $400 over several hours watching the stream. Disappointing. Edit: bar tender changed it. Awesome bar tender 5 stars. read more

My friend recently celebrated her 23rd birthday, so we decided to do our first "boozy brunch" in Chicago (recently moved to the city) to celebrate. She is a huge fan of 4C establishments and Benchmark specifically, so we decided to try Benchmark's brunch because of their availability and affordability. We had a stellar time and ended up there from 11 am - almost 3 pm. They have a 2 hour table limit, which was not an issue in the slightest. We were able to continue our bottomless brunch and mimosa ($40 total) extravaganza downstairs at 1 pm when our time at our table was up. Our server, Bailey, was on it the entire morning and made it a super pleasant experience - even taking time to split the bill amongst all of us and take several photos. read more

Benchmarks Chicken and Waffles has the best syrup I have ever had! Miss the pre Covid options they had for brunch but overall good place!

Thanks Kipp for the terrific service! Everyone at this bar was helpful and very nice. The boneless buffalo wings are amazing and so is the southwest salad! Thanks to this staff!! read more

Before beginning at Benchmark you have to ask yourself the question "How bro friendly am I?" If the answer is very little to not friendly at all then you might as well take the 50 bucks you were going to spend, buy some cargo shorts/Michigan State apparel and stare at yourself in the mirror while the latest Nickleback CD is soundtracking. It's going to be that painful for you. Being bro friendly myself I really don't have any problems with the type of clientele you'd figure a sports bar in Old Town would attract. Even if I did though, I think I'd be able to overlook it due to just too many awesome features. It's got lots of open-air patio space that flows really well. Perfect for getting some rays while catching the game. The food is really tasty upscale bar bites, and they offer the greatest type of potato on the market...tots. There's a build your own bloody bar on the weekends with all the ingredients so you don't have to worry about if they make a good one or not. The staff is very friendly all around, and even when they're busy they seem to do it with a smile. Sure, it's easy to hate on a place because you overheard a couple d-bags argue about who's d**k is bigger or who from the Tigers should make the all star team, but I'm not holding it against Benchmark. What they control they're pretty awesome at, and I've never left without anything but a 5 star experience. read more

Anywhere ...bar, restaurant, cafe whatever that gives you and your crew diarrhea via food should not be in existence. I was here this past Friday and made the mistake of eating here. That Saturday I was in pain and spent the day on toilet.. same goes for my companions . read more

My first impression with Benchmark wasn't a positive one. My friends and I were looking for a place to go after a filling meal of burgers and beers and decided on Benchmark. We arrived to see the cattle call line for The Jersey Shore II: This Time, It's Midwestern. Not that anxious to get a std or into a bar fight, I opted out of waiting in the blocks long line. I had a crappy-to-average time at a neighboring bar and went home. Take two. Some friends and co-workers decided to give this place a shot. I was uncertain, but my endorphins were high from a successful evening and I wanted to do a little post-celebration. I'm glad I came along for the ride. This time, there was no wait and ample room to get a drink and eat on. It's a sports bar. Don't expect Charlie Trotter or Rick Bayless to pop out of the back and kitchen and ask you what you want to eat. Stay in the sports bar wheelhouse and all will be well. I had tots with melted dipping cheese. Yes, you are jealous. It's a sports bar. Don't expect Alpana Singh to swirl your fancy wine for you but even she wouldn't turn down a draft Magic Hat #9 -- and neither did I. The physical space is pretty huge with a nice layout. The flow makes sense and the retractable roof looks to be a big draw. It was way too cold for that nonsense when I was there, but I can see noshing/drinking under a summer sky being a huge draw to this place. The crowd skews mid to upper 20s, male and bro... but it's a sports bar. In Old Town. I was pleased to see far less Snookis and Situations than I was expecting. They must have been at the gym/free clinic. read more

Girlfriend! Things that make you go, hmm: 1) The Line. Are you kidding me? Seriously? 2) The Clientele. Is Benchmark handing out free drink vouchers to any women who dye their hair blond in salons in Schaumburg? 3) The Music. How dare you propagate such a tsunami of detritus! 4) The Game. Two big games on simultaneously yet set to a soundtrack of the aforementioned tsunami of detritus. 5) The Smell. There was an undeniable odor of sewage wafting through Benchmark on March 26, 2011, especially toward the corridor leading to the downstairs bathrooms, and it wafted at times all the way to the front door. _________________ Okay, that was a little harsh, but I had to get it out of my system. It's just that the Old Town I used to know has been encroached upon by total douchebaggery, and the reason for it all is Benchmark. Benchmark, on its face isn't so bad. It's a nice, rather clean place with plenty of televisions so you can watch the game, great and prompt service from the bartenders, (usually) enough room to move around and plentiful facilities. If Benchmark would play the game with sound and let people in, then there wouldn't be any trouble in River City. But, you see, Benchmark is having a bit of an identity crisis. Benchmark wants the best of both worlds. It wants to be a sports bar and a club. And, frankly, it's seriously cheating toward the club world with its silly line and its absolutely horrific, ear hemorrhaging inducing music. I heard several classics ripped to shreds and regurgitated with a hip hop tip added over top. As if one would need something other than sewage smell wafting through the air on March 26, 2011, to induce vomiting? And all of this going on while a Bulls game and a Hawks game were both on without the sound. Very telling in how Benchmark wants to be a club more than a sports bar. Now, let's talk about The Line. The Line has prevented us from patronizing Benchmark several times. We don't wait in lines. We don't. We let the 23-year-old bleach blonds in scanty dresses and four-inch heels who can't walk in them and are trying way too hard wait in them. And we laugh as we walk by. That's a lot of laughing, as the line can be a block long. Now, why is there a line anyway? When we arrived on March 26, Benchmark was pretty packed but without any line. After an hour, there were clearly less people in the bar, yet a line was formed and 25 deep. Huh? Every single person in our party saw that the bar was obviously more open than it had been sans any line and questioned why there was now a line. Anyone can say that there's a line because the City only allows a certain number of people in the place. That's absolute nonsense. And I bet this generates a response from management/ownership. We all saw the line situation with our own eyes. There's a line because Benchmark wants to give the appearance to the young'ins from Schaumburg that it's cool and the place to be. And it works. But if this is going to be your tactic, Benchmark, on top of the music situation, then just cut out a dance floor and become a club. Mmmkay? Benchmark isn't all that bad - until it morphs into a club around 10 p.m. on the weekend. Three stars. Rein it in, Benchmark. read more

I had New Years Day brunch at Benchmark, and boy it was a blast. It was not that crowded, which was surprising but I was grateful for it. The server would come around every so often, but when she did she filled all of our mimosa glasses full. They had an assortment of juices to choose from and fruits to garnish with. They also had a bottomless brunch with an assortment of items. All of the food was mediocre, but that was probably because they were appealing to a variety of hungover taste buds. One of the managers went around and was pouring people free shots! I will definitely be back. read more

I have been to Benchmark over a dozen times in the past year and can honestly say I have never experienced such a rude and belligerent doorstaff. For example, four girls and I were trying to re-enter the establishment to join the rest of our group for a birthday party and the short bald doorman on staff grilled us about our hand stamps and then refused to allow my friend and I inside. When I asked to speak to a manager and waited 15 minutes to speak to one, he never appeared because he was conveniently "tied up". Having worked in the hospitality industry myself for over ten years, I'm appalled that the Four Corners Tavern Group would even employee someone so rude, aggressive and arrogant. The first point of contact with bar clientele (doorman) should probably have basic customer service skills and zero anger management issues. Regardless, my friends and I will now be frequenting FirePlace Inn and all of the restaurants and bars on Wells street with the exception of Benchmark. read more

After an epic holiday party at the Chicago History Museum, where does one keep the good times rolling? At a neighborhood bar, natch... especially in near-arctic temps. Our group trekked over (me - rather painfully, in stilettos) but once we arrived, I was able to say it was well worth it. And why? The staff, for one. Very warm, welcoming and accommodating. Our bartendress with the mostest, Ashley, made us some stellar drinks (she's fast, too) with a smile each and every time. She also treated our very thirsty group to a shot. I'm not a big fan of shooting liquor, but when I do it's almost always a lemon drop. Ashley's take was spot-on with a generous slice of lemon rubbed with sugar. Feels so good at the moment, hurts so much right now! I didn't get anything to eat, but one of my friends ordered the steak quesadilla. She actually said it was one of the best quesadiilas she's ever had... and this is a girl who orders them everywhere they make 'em! Overall, a very welcome addition to Old Town. It's quite a different spot than anything else in the neighborhood with its modern layout, retractable roof and posh details. Somewhat of a sophisticated bar meets lounge premise... with too many TVs but who's counting? I'd definitely return for some more carousing with my favorite shenanigans. read more

In my opinion, anytime you head out for the night, you have to be honest with yourself and think about a few things, so you can decide where to go. Ask yourself, what am I looking to find? With whom am I going out? And am I being realistic about whether my choice will deliver on my hopes? In other words, don't go to an dive bar and then be surprised that their risotto is not world class. I think your level of enjoyment at Benchmark will be decided by your expectations and how you answer those questions. Management has created an amazing physical surrounding. It's absolutely beautiful. Chic, open, lots of space, and plenty of tables for private conversation amongst friends. The retractable roof? Awesome. What is not to like here? Food? Pretty decent, but it won't blow you away. Is this a restaurant with a bar? Or a bar which serves decent food? I'd say the latter. And that is why you will probably judge this place based on your assessment of the people who choose to drop in for a drink. Having been here twice now, I'd say I really like the place. A pure mix of people were here last night . Married couples, singles hitting on each other. Chads & Trixies. Forties/Fifty somethings. People in groups, pairs and singles. It was very interesting to watch everyone do the proverbial dance. I was a spectator last night, as I was with a close friend, and we were in the mood to act as sociologists. If you are here at Benchmark with an agenda, you are on your own to make it happen. If you are here to have a few laughs and watch the dance unfold, I am confident you will really enjoy Benchmark. Why did they lose stars? Benchmark's bartenders do not have a clue about the beer they serve. If you are going to have a selection of some of the best beer around; and Benchmark does, the bartenders should know what they are serving. Nice girl bartenders, and I use that word intentionally, but hire some real professionals. There are tons of them out there. Management needs to hire people who know their jobs, not that look cute in a short skirt. Sorry, them's the facts. read more

Eh. I have to agree with MaryAnne M. on this one. The place was so loud I couldn't think, let alone converse with my friend. Cool space and a very good server (I would give her five stars) but it wasn't enough for me. I ordered the hummus plate and it came out looking like something the cat threw up. It tasted only slightly better and for nine bucks I was more than disappointed. I think Benchmark has the possibility of being really great but it just isn't there yet. read more

I got to check out Benchmark before they've opened, and I must say, it was one of the best preview nights I've ever been to. I've passed by there before, but I always thought it was an art gallery or high-end car dealership (the signage kind of reminds me of the Lamborghini dealer). When my friend brought me here for dinner, I was pleasantly surprised. First, the decor is beautiful. It kind of reminds me of what a rich Hollywood type's house would look like. Very modern, great balconies, huge windows, glass ceilings, and big leather couches upstairs that say "Make out on me, I'm sexy". The bar is huge, and ideal for a date, girls night out, or party. I also think this may be the new football watching spot... they have the HUMONGOUS tv downstairs, I believe it's 6 screens in one. The boys will go crazy for some sports watching on that monster. While it's big, for some reason it didn't dominate the room, maybe because the space was so large? So with any bar, the drinks are key. They have a pretty extensive wine list... bigger than most bars, about on par with a nice restaurant. A glass of wine will run you between $8-$11, but the bottle prices weren't too expensive. The beer selection was also great, they had a bout 6-7 beers on tab and a huge list. No signature cocktails, which tends to be typical of these types of bars, but maybe those will come with time? The bartender we had was absolutely adorable. Andy had a great personality, knew about the wines and beers, and made sure we were topped off the whole night. The food... I liked what I got, but I didn't exactly get what I wanted. What do I mean? We ordered the buffalo wrap appetizer, my friend had lamb chops, and I had fish tacos. All of the food was great, hot, fresh and delicious. Unfortunately, I'm a super girly girl (i.e. fairly light eater) and would have appreciated a big salad or two on the menu, or at least a piece of fish with rice or something. That aside, nothing I ordered disappointed me, and I'll definitely be back to try more of the menu. I'm really excited about Benchmark coming to the neighborhood. It's a welcome addition of "cool" to Old Town without having to deal with the d-baggery everywhere in River North. My instincts tell me that Chicago Social and all those other magazines will be all over this place soon, so get in while you can. You're totally in for a treat. read more

Oh Benchmark, where every frat bro resides on any given weekend night. Don't get me wrong, who am I to complain, I just personally don't like a side of vineyard vine with my gin & tonic. I digress...service was great, waitress was so attentive, almost too attentive if that's possible! It was packed, for 8:30 on a Friday night, I was a little surprised but I am assuming this is manys after work drink spot. Lots of room, and if you're lucky to get a spot on the second floor with retractable roof, nothings better. Food was good, I would call it above average bar food! I had the southwest chicken wrap with tater tots, let's just say the tots were the real winner that night. It seems like it would be a great spot for a large group! And single girls, grab your wing women because men are not sparse at Benchmark. read more

Great service and tater tots! Also the happy hour is until 8 which is amazing! Get a vodka pineapple

I quite enjoyed this place. My girlfriends and I were ready for a night out on the town and we wanted to give Benchmark a shot since we would be in the area. The space is a bit awkward. It's all rectangular so I felt like it was super crowded and various parties were constantly pushing by us to get through. So that was a tad bit annoying, but if you get there early enough, you can snag a table and do what will no doubt be some pretty entertaining people watching. Since I'm a first class wine-o, I stick to, you guessed it, WINE. I will drink any kind of white wine that is not Riesling. They had a pretty extensive wine list but since I know nothing about wine, I went for the cheapest sauvignon blanc they had on the menu. $8.50, so not the cheapest glass, but also not like an $11 glass. This place is pretty fratty, I'll have to admit. So, while I'm not looking for my life partner at a place like Benchmark, I do quite enjoy the eye candy. I saw at least three stellar looking (and TALL!) guys there. Why don't these guys ever come up and talk to me?!? That is another issue. In any case, I enjoyed looking at the beautiful boys, and maybe one of these days I'll snag one up for myself. I also enjoyed the music. They played a nice selection and I am a sucker for pop music. All in all, I had fun here and I look forward to returning! read more

This place isn't bad. Not bad at all. Not great but decent. They have this really tall bearded bartender that's pretty hot. The waitresses are usually ok, I've had really great ones and some lackluster ones. But mostly they get the job done. I usually go on Tuesdays for trivia night, which is also pretty hit or miss. They hire some company to do it, and they're not too great. I always have fun though and the food is decent and not too pricey. The normal kinda tools you see at most Lincoln park/ old town bars. But sometimes there's some hot dudes with beards. Especially that bartender. read more

Where do I begin with this horrible establishment? The food was mediocre, the wait staff lack customer service, the bouncers are wannabes and douchebags and did I mention their menu is a disaster?! Game days are typical as with 500 other Chicago bars for any games on and the only distinct factor here is their retractable rooftop but do people actually come here for this so-called roof? It didn't seem too amazing to me. Advice to Benchmark, get your service in order for your waitstaff and hire some professional bouncers for your weekends. read more