Brussel sprouts, spinach dip and fried chicken sliders were amazing! Had a great time with friends here. Loved the ambience.

Terrible food. Ordered a fish bowl and rice was green. Ordered two lemonades and they came out of a gun from the bar. That tasted like lemonade was completely rotten so bad do not recommend it. read more

I recently had a very good lunch at this cute little open air eatery. It wasn't a life altering taste of foodie heaven, but it was good enough for a leisurely bite in Santa Barbara. Walking around and searching for a place to eat, we liked the friendly hostess and what we saw on the menu so we got a table. Since the weather is almost always perfect, the restaurant had all of the windows open (so it was like we were sitting on an enclosed patio). We were soon brought a bowl of complimentary crunchy chickpeas that provided a tasty welcome. Since we are huge fans of Brussels sprouts, we started with an order of those to share. They were fried and crispy and delicious, topped with bacon, parmesan cheese, and a drizzle of honey for a touch of sweetness. I loved these and would dine here again just to eat them. At $8.50 per order, they are reasonably priced. For our entrees, I opted for the open-faced tuna melt ($11.25) while my husband got the fried chicken sandwich. Both sandwiches were mediocre at best. The ingredients were good enough, but they both were ultimately a letdown. My tuna melt had decent tuna salad and cheddar cheese, but was topped with far too much arugula. A good tuna melt needs only high quality fish, melty cheese, and a crispy, buttered bread base, not a bunch of flowery junk piled on top. The worst part of my sandwich is that the cheese wasn't even melted. Epic fail. I opted for the side salad instead of fries and it felt like an afterthought and was not appealing at all. The fried chicken sandwich fared better, but mostly due to the super fresh avocado on top. The skin-on fries were another disappointment. I ordered a glass of Prosecco and instead of being poured from a larger bottle (which usually signals better quality sparkling wine) I was brought a small individual bottle. I understand why restaurants have to do that but it's still a letdown because the wine is usually awful (and it was). We did have good, friendly service, so despite the missteps and the overpriced menu, I'd likely be back to give this place another try when I'm back in the area. Perhaps I just ordered the wrong thing. read more

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Excellent restaurant, excellent food, and very excellent staff. My family and I stopped in on the way back from the Central Coast to Los Angeles. The pesto linguine was delicious. Also, great and large sandwiches. The cocktails were great too. Shoutout to Tatyana! Will definitely be back on my next trip. Thank you! read more

I come to this restaurant every time for a quick dinner or lunch with my friends! Such a beautiful location near lots of stores! The service is great as always, and the food is even better! I always come back for the double cheese burger. They have heaters outside and a lovely indoor dining room. Definitely check it out if you're in Santa Barbara. read more

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Ol' always packed and average type place. I never understood the long lines here for under-seasoned average food. But we decided to go here this particular night because we were tired, it was late, and we didn't feel like thinking about shit. Just go here. I swear something was a bit different tonight, though. The fish tacos were piping hot and the cabbage was extra crisp. They gave us a little extra bread for our charcuterie/cheese board, and Mario gobbled up every last bite of that Eggplant parmesan. We were starving and somehow this place hit the spot. I mean the food here has always been a bit bland and underwhelming during my visits, but tonight it was like "best foot forward" average..."I'ma be the best average I can be!" type average. And our waiter was so attentive, I tipped 25 percent. I don't know. Don't go here expecting a culinary masterpiece, but sometimes you may be pleasantly surprised. read more

Benchmark Eatery - Pear on my charcuterie board? I can dig it! :-) - New American Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

It was time to dine out!! Perfect weather for a Sunday lunch out on state street . Order at the bar grab a number card seat yourself; easy peasy. Husband had the Arlington Burger ; delicious definitely worthy of its $16 price tag . Because money does buy taste ; it's the Tesla of burgers ! My daughter & I split the GRANADA BURGER , you can't go wrong w/ a brioche bun & Brie . Love that their burgers are cooked to order ; medium rare was perfect . If you love onion rings these are by far the best in SB , sorry The Habit , Benchmark has the best onion rings . Can't wait to come back! read more

Benchmark Eatery - Arlington Burger - New American Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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The staff here is great! Super friendly and really care abount their customers. They make a great margarita, and you can't go wrong with their food menu. The polzole is awesome! This is such a dog friendly place, mu dog insists on visiting any time we walk by. Very convenient location, near theaters, righ on State Street in the middle of downtown. A definite gem. read more

Good food. Lots of options. They have veggie options, but could benefit from having a few more to their menu. No table service. Order upfront, find a seat with the # they give you. Then food is brought out to you. Very casual place. Lots of beer, wine and cocktail choices. read more

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My friend loves the BLT but I'm sitting here and to a foodie nobody would appreciate this place.

After a nice long hike on Rattlesnake Trail my wife and I stopped here for a nice lunch. They had the tables set up outside on the street and it was a beautiful setting in Santa Barbara. The gentleman who took our order was very polite and helpful. I asked him what he recommended and he said they are know for their burgers. I ordered the brunch burger. My wife got a salad and we shared the brussel sprouts. My wife loved her salad. Great flavor and very healthy!!! I even took a few bites and loved it. The brussel sprouts were on point. The sauce on them was outstanding. The fries that came with my burger were perfect. Nice and crunchy and just the right amount of salt. The burger on the other hand looked amazing. Bun was nice. Nice egg on it with arugula. But the patty was bland. Absolutely no seasoning whatsoever. A little salt and pepper would of helped out tremendously. All in all, we loved the set up. Workers were nice. Everything great but the burger patty. read more

Benchmark Eatery - Sitting on the road - New American Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Very good Brussels sprouts! Posole was okay. Ambience was nice to watch Halloween costumes go by.

I Stopped in with my 2 Daughters for a bowls of Clam chowder and a Chopped Salad. Every thing was great, delicious meal and the Service was Excellent. The Manager was helpful and took time to engage with us! Thank you Benchmark, for an excellent Lunch on our Birthday weekend. read more

Had lunch with some friends and it was pleasant. I had a fish and a shrimp taco. Nothing to write home about, I couldn't tell which one was the fish or the shrimp. Too much batter. read more

Food and services is amazing! Outdoor seating with this beautiful weather is perfect!

Popped in for a pleasant Sunday brunch when some of the other options in the area looked too crowded. The food is decent but not overly remarkable. I had the salmon Benedict, which I enjoyed. It used smoked salmon filet as opposed to lox, which is what I was expecting, but the results were decent. My daughter enjoyed her waffles and berries, but they just looked like standard waffles with a handful of fresh berries. Good, but not remarkable. I had the Bloody Mary which could have definitely used more heat. The coffees were good, but again, they are coffees. Overall, it was a pleasant choice, easy to get into with a parking lot just next door, but nothing overly memorable or remarkable. read more

Super cute atmosphere, great service with smiles, pet-friendly, and DELICIOUS food fast delivered to the table! DEFINITELY start with a flatbread!! Highly recommend! read more

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I tried Benchmark back in 2019 and wasn't a huge fan of the food, but I thought I'd go back and try it again, and I'm glad I did!!! We ordered the margherita flatbread, pozole verde, and the coconut shrimp. All three were delish. I'll be going back for the flatbread for sure, I love that there are fresh, sliced tomatoes on top. The service was good and speedy. I liked the ambiance of the outdoor patio, too. read more

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During our trip to Santa Barbara we picked up food to go from here. We placed our order online and picked it up, but we ordered drinks to go when we arrived. The staff was all very helpful and friendly and the ambiance of the place was pretty relaxed. We ordered the burger sliders and they were ok. They were big sliders so we were able to share between the 2 of us. We also ordered the chicken tenders and fries for our toddler and the portion size was big for a small toddler, but is perfect for an older kid. The chicken strips were good (I ended up eating 1 or 2 of them). The margaritas we ordered were very good. I liked the menu here because there's something for everyone and it's approachable. Definitely will revisit on my next trip to SB. read more

food is so good and ambiance is good it's a cute little restaraunt and you choose where you seat so we usually choose to dine outside. service is fine but could be a hit more friendly and attentive honestly. even though service isn't the best the food is worth it. so good and drinks are not too bad too, they're just alright. read more

My go to place when I have family in town, or if there is a show at the Granada, or if I am hungry and want to go there, which is often! Great food, easy to order, the staff is awesome. My favorite restaurant in the arts district and one of my favorites in all of Santa Barbara. read more

Amazing food- burgers were very good. Ordered salmon sandwich and beyond burger. Ambience is awesome and location is bang on downtown. 75 mins free parking right behind it as well. read more

Here at the B.e there seems to be something for everyone. Nice vegetarian choices. Salads, plenty to choose from. Starters, OMG don't eat too much, really easy to here. We love the bar, and the bar tender is always on top of good service and a mixmaster. Great selection of booze! Fish and Chips is one of my faves. Enjoyed the NY Steak last time. Nice work, with mashed pots, and assorted veggies. Again plenty to eat! A big handful of seafood selections help the fishing expedition if needed. The cedar plank salmon rocks the block. Yum-o-matic. Just right! If your headed to the Sullivan and Goss Gallery for a cool new art gallery event, or the Granada for a lovely theater show, the Benchmark eatery is the cool spot to stop in, chill and enjoy a nice meal. Good service, fairly prompt. They do get busy. Lay low and avoid the radar. ;-) enjoy. read more

Benchmark Eatery - Benchmark eatery menu one side. - New American Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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Not a fan of this place anymore after all the pandemic drama sadly. Used to be a good place to get free tasty fried chickpeas at the start of your meal. Those are no longer (and I gotta say, that's probably the thing I'm most sad about haha). Their menu has totally changed and has been cut wayyy back, which due to Covid I totally get...most places have done the same, but all that's left is the lamest food they had on the menu. And they've still kept it that way; I've been hoping they'd bring their old menu back, like many other restaurants have at this point. But no such luck. Alas, I have officially given up on this place :( Not a fan of the walk-up and order technique they've now utilized as well. Two stars though for friendly staff and good cocktails at least. read more

1.) Service. From taking us to our table, helping us with the menu, and local advice (like where do we go for breakfast tomorrow?), they were all good. 2.) Food. I enjoyed a cup of pozole verde. I had to try it! Really good. Great that they topped it correctly too- cilantro, radish, and cabbage. Nothing fancy, Perfect! I also had the vegetarian burger (the one with guac). The patty was so good! It was a veggie protein patty, but had whole black bean and corn kernels mixed in. Their French fries were really good too! My mom and sister shared mussels and calamari and thought it was delicious. OMG! The fried chickpeas are soooo good!!! Gotta try em! 3.) The ambiance outside was nice in the evening. They have heaters and I was comfortable eating outside. A really good menu. Thank you for a great vegetarian section!! read more

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We had lunch here the other day and I can't believe that we have missed this place so many times before! I absolutely love Benchmark and so did my friends who joined me for lunch. We walked up to the counter to order and were very impressed by the menu. The selection of specialty drinks, beers, and wines offered was also amazing! It would be safe to say that there is something for everyone at Benchmark. There are tons of appetizers including crispy Brussel sprouts, sliders, and coconut shrimp, not to mention lots of others! There are homemade soups, salads galore and amazing burgers. We enjoyed the State Cobb, the BBQ Chicken, and the Sesame Salmon salads. But it doesn't stop there. There are many sandwiches, entrees, and flatbreads plus tacos and burritos too. We can't wait to go back! Also, the service is so friendly, professional, and efficient. Needles to say, we love Benchmark! read more

Great location and fantastic service. Their Classic Double Cheeseburger is exceptional with crispy, well seasoned fries. Good beer selection and the food came out quick! Will definitely be back and highly recommend. read more

Very good , we'll be back. We tried the sliders and fish tacos on bartender recommendation, both were excellent . Bugs me that I had to order at the bar, maybe I'm old school but I always tip well and feels like self service in a decent place... read more

highly recommend the onion rings on the regular as they are normally pretty tasty. it was actually the artichoke dip that took home the winning review today. so we can stand behind the artichoke dip being a great choice when visiting benchmark,As the chips were good, and the dip was outstanding. unfortunately, I've got to say service wasn't too great as we didn't really have anyone attending to us..they could step it up in that arena, and we give a onion rings a 3 out of 5 stars on this visit. hopefully we'll have a better experience next time. read more

Great place with cool vibes and delicious wine. Go when they have comedy nights it's worth it!

My husband and I ate at the Benchmark Eatery about 2 weeks ago. The hamburgers are really delicious and so are the fries. My husband got onion rings and they were huge! I tried the hibiscus refresher I think it's called, it has alcohol in it. I thought it was good especially on a hot day! read more

I used to eat here often when I worked across the street. It's been a few months and I'm back working in the area and I decided to eat here for lunch, today. Wow, awful. I don't know if it's a bad day for them or if quality has declined this much in only a few months. I ordered a blackened chicken wrap with no salt on the fries and I received hard, burned fries that are inedible. How were they not embarrassed to give this out? The chicken wrap is ok (hence the 2 stars), but I could barely eat half of it and tossed the rest. Considering the price of the item, I'll be passing on Benchmark in the future and going to one of the many other restaurants in the area for lunch. read more

Cute eatery right on a busy street! They are very dog-friendly. They even brought us a small water bowl. You order at a large bar window. We got a mai-tai that was surprisingly strong. The salmon pesto sandwich was really good, and so were the fries. The churros were okay - it comes with dark chocolate dip and caramel dip. read more

Great food! Great service! Would definitely go back and try it again. The Granada burger was insanely good and I picked it on a whim. Best choice I could have made. Fries were perfect and onion rings were amazing. 10/10 read more

Benchmark Eatery - Granada burger - New American Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Absolutely amazing! Kicked myself in the head today because I have not tried this place sooner. Such a beautiful establishment with amazing quality food to match. Customer service is perfectly on point. I Had a pleasure meeting Paul and we had an great conversation and shared a few laughs. As a wing connoisseur I was particularly fond of their wings and delicious ranch. Can't wait to try the rest of it! read more

Such a fun patio for dining. We love this place with our baby and there's lots of room for her stroller. The food is delicious.

Spacious seating areas both indoors and outdoors. Churros were fresh and delicious. Nachos was more than enough to be shared. Pozole Verde soup has a slight spicy kick which was great. Worth a visit. read more

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Had a great meal here -- the pesto pasta with shrimp was to die for! Service was fast and attentive. Prices were quite good for the quality. Strongly recommend. read more

Not a bad place to get a meal in downtown Santa Barbara! My wife and I stopped in for dinner on our way home from a road trip, and were happily seated promptly, surprising for a Friday night around 7:30! The menu is pretty simple, and they serve fried chick peas as a free tabletop appetizer, in lieu of bread I guess. They were tasty! My wife had the cedar plank salmon, which was very delicious, and she really enjoyed the mashed potatoes, which were very garlicky, in a good way! I had the eggplant parmesan, which came hot in a mini skillet and covered in melted Parmesan. The sauce tasted handmade, and was very good! We also split a wedge salad, pretty standard but it was nonetheless good. Overall I'd definitely recommend it if you want to satisfy a variety of tastes, as the menu has lots of different options. Thanks for the great meal, Benchmark Eatery! read more

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Crispy chickpeas are so good! I enjoy their veggie tacos the most with a beer and hanging out on the patio. Allowing dogs now is the best wver read more