Trip down to Santa Barbara for the night. Stumbled upon this place downtown. Cute and cozy. In and outside seating. Good, surprisingly quick service. Fried pickles- they make their own pickles! Yumm. Happy hour has $2 off their apps. Pork sandwich is delicious! A must try. Recommend this place to locals or those visiting :) read more

Man their pozole with carnitas is bomb dot com. Also had their special clam chowder which was really good too. They serve fried chickpeas as an appetizer (free). Full bar with good beer selection, I'll come back again. read more

We went here for a girls night out and had a blast. The cocktails are very tasty and the beer selection is pretty diverse. We also liked their cheese plate and fried pickles! read more

Was really excited to try this place and my first impression was they did a great job designing the interior and patio area. Has a clean and open feel. All the tables were full and we had a short wait before being seated. Hostesses were friendly and welcoming. The atmosphere was lively, and there was a good vibe. I read another reviewer complaining about the noise. What do you expect when you are at a restaurant that is full of people having a good time? If you want to go somewhere quiet, there are plenty of restaurants in town at are empty most of the time. Maggies never had much noise because, well, there were no customers. Anyways, our server Monica came over right after we sat down and introduced herself and walked us through the menu and gave some recommendations. She was attentive throughout our meal and did an excellent job overall. We ordered Burrata for an appetizer and enjoyed this as well as the fried chickpeas they brought after we sat down. I tried the Kale Antipasto salad because I felt like eating something healthy, and the best thing about the salad is that it didn't taste like kale! Very fresh though and nice mix of salami, proscuitto and mini potato chips w/ butter beans and roasted tomato and grilled fennel. My Dad got the Fennel Sausage pizza and raved about it. Definitely will have to come back and try a pizza next time. Didn't have room for dessert but the gelato was tempting. Again, next time. One last thing. The manager (Erin) came over to check on us and make sure we enjoyed everything. She spent a few minutes talking with us and I got the sense that they really genuinely cared about giving us good service. This is not something I can say about many restaurants in town. I give it five stars because although they just opened a few days ago the food was on the mark and the service was top-notch. They are off to a great start! read more

From our one visit here we can say the food is good and the service is excellent. We both had the fish and chips, and the fish batter was crispy and the fish moist, and the fries were also excellent. One note about the service: we were going to a performance at the Granada and the waitstaff having been told this, made sure we received our food in plenty of time. We will definitely be returning. read more

Excellent food and drinks. Waitress was pretty busy. Required extra time to have an item taken off our bill. All else was wonderful. Will return. read more

There are two types of people that go to Benchmark, locals and tourists. I'll write a section for each. For the tourists...This is a hip and cool but casual restaurant that specializes in local food. It is very "Santa Barbara Local". If you are looking for the typical SB scene and food, this is it. There are lots of places that would also qualify as being very local, but very few at this price point. Like Santa Barbara, there's a variety of people, and food styles. You can get fresh seafood and other stuff like steak, beef ribs, etc. GREAT salads and also sandwiches some quite unique to SB. And of course Mexican food which is nearly a requirement in town. Try items like sopes (pronounced SO PAYS), carnitas, fish or shrimp tacos are all great as is the Pozole. Benchmark has a solid variety of each style. And a great kids menu. This is NOT a "trendy" restaurant with the played out sweet potato fries and nachos. This is the real deal. The food is hip but not way out there and is reliably good. The prices are way better than you'll find elsewhere on State Street, that's for sure. If this is too expensive, stick to In-n-Out and The Habit. Sorry, but that's Santa Barbara. But that said, there's lots of choices here around $10. And the kids eat for $6. Sit down on their HUGE covered patio and enjoy State Street "al fresco". Great variety of local beers and wines by the glass as well. If you're in SB and you want to see where the locals go, this is it. Save room for the freshly made churros. Oh, and don't ask for blended margaritas here or ANYWHERE in SB. It's a total give away that you're not from around here. And a special note for those from L.A.... RELAX!!!! It's Santa Barbara!! Leave your stress and pretension back in the Valley and take a deep breath. Remember, you drove here to get away from all that. Have a cocktail or "something" ;-) For the locals....Hey, Santa Barbara!! If you've been in SB for a while, you'll remember this location. It's the old State and A location. When State and A first opened in the early 80's they served hip and cool food (for the 80's) at reasonable prices with strong drinks in a fun and festive atmosphere. Everyone liked going there. But sadly, they never changed with the times and their menu got played out and it turned into, dare I say...a sports bar. There whole thing no longer fit in this part of State. Fast forward 30 years and the owners of Brophy Brothers opened Benchmark. Today it has "new" hip and cool, local style, food at reasonable prices, with strong drinks. It's a fun and festive place to hang out with friends. Perhaps heritage is still alive in the theme, but that's where it stops. Benchmark has a different vibe than it's predecessor. More "cool and groovy" hipster action, sit down restaurant (like that descriptor) :-) The scene is understated and casual. Very Santa Barbara. Fun and happy waitstaff work there and they seem to genuinely like it. If you're looking for a nice dinner before the show, this is a great place. But if you're looking to hang out with friends, you've found it. If you're a bar guy/girl, this place is "killing it"!! Outstanding drinks! Edgy in style and not "everybody else's drinks". Sure you can get the classics but if you want to kick it up a notch, this is the place. Their chief Mixologist Randy AKA "The Legend" knocks it out of the park. If you're a drinker, check this place out. They also have some fun mocktails. Lot's of local beers on tap and a solid selection of wines by the glass. I've been here a bunch, obviously, and I really like it. It's one of the only places where the kitchen closes late on weekends up in these parts (10:30). The happy hour runs 4-6pm even on weekends. They serve the Brophy's clam chowder and fish & chips. And the fish (or shrimp) tacos are the best I've had in town. Ask for a side of their tomatillo salsa for sure. $6 for two during happy hour. It has to be the best deal in town and it'll fill you up. It's not a fancy-schmansy restaurant. It's a hip, cool, casual restaurant which typifies the SB scene. It's in the "Arts and Theater District" as The Independent called it, but without the Arts and Theater prices. It's not Bouchon but then again, it's not Bouchon. Go here for fun with friends or on a date and you'll have a good time. read more

Came for lunch on a Monday and sat on their gorgeous patio without a wait. Staff was very friendly, although our server forgot about little requests :P Didn't take away from the experience though. Food was awesome, we had a grilled shrimp salad (lightly dressed with pickled vegetables and a good amount of shrimp) and the salmon with risotto, also really delicious. The margarita was excellent, so were the Fig Mt Kolsch and the wheat beer on tap. Would recommend/come again. read more

The Benchmark missed the mark! Bowe Bergdahl would have provided better service. Food was bland. I'd rather repeatedly poke myself in the eye than go back there. read more

Went in for Brunch had the Huevos Rancheros the best I have ever had service was spot on the blonde manager Kate was very friendly we will be back . Thanks JC read more

I've come here a few times, once when they first opened and a couple times recently. The last time I went I decided I wont be back. Food is meh and the bartender could care less. Didn't acknowledge our food order after he asked us what we wanted. When I repeated the order he said he had already gotten it. I said, "Oh I didn't know if you heard me." He said, "Of course I did, I'm a bartender" Ok man- thanks for the customer service. Bummed our experience wasn't better. Brophys staff is pleasant and attentive. read more

What an amazing time we had at Benchmark---- we were passing through town with our two little girls and found this place. From the Wiki Stix game given to the kids at the table- to the fabulous service and food-I just wish this place were closer to us in San Clemente! Had the amazing margaritas and carnitas tacos, everything tasted so fresh and inventive- my husband had the sea bass it was to die for. Kids had good selections, so impressive, fresh chicken and sautéed veggies they loved it. Our server was warm and inviting, always around with a smile. Ambiance is great- love the decor as well. Such an awesome place in Santa Barbara- it will be our new place to stop while traveling- if u live in Santa Barbara u have to try it- so good! read more

This place has the best food. If they don't have exactly what you want they will give something better. Plenty of parking in Victoria Court.

Came there for a lunch with our parents after doing sightseeings and absolutely loved this place! Hot wings and fish were just great and fresh. Service is excellent and fast! The patio is spacious. Wasn't packed when we were there (Thursday noon). read more

We really used to like this place, but it seems to have declined. We ordered a beer, an appetizer and four entrees. The beer never arrived, the service was painfully slow, and 3/4 of the entrees we ordered were lackluster. The only good item was the Arlington burger - the other item was so unenjoyable that the person who ordered it only ate about 1/3 and didn't want to take the remainder home. When we mentioned that it seemed slower than usual, the server a acknowledged that "it had been crazy" and shrugged it off. Benchmark used to be one of our favorite local dinner places, but this experience was a big let down. read more

Always my go-to when stopping by SB, they have onion rings just the way I like 'em and awesome burgers. Nice bar and patio area and a great staff. read more

If you want to get ignored for hours not get a refill of not even ice tea ..... have crappy food rude waitress and hostess .....you've come to the right place!!!!! I would never .... Not even if it were free ...return to even use the restroom!!!!! Nothing but trash!!!!! read more

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

I heart benchmark so much. Chase's attention to detail is great. Rachel Z is more bubbly than a bottle of champagne. And Evan is pretty cool too. I will be there every day until I die. The noise level isn't even bad. The others that reviewed this don't know nothing about eateries. read more

My first time in Santa Barbara and I think I chose a pretty great place with a relaxing environment. I sat at the bar and was happy to hear they still had a happy hour available (on a Saturday night) I ordered Steamed mussels, steak bites, and their twist on an old-fashioned...DELICIOUS!!! The steak bites were cooked perfectly and so juicy! I was not a fan of the side potato strings. The mussels were fresh in a light, garlicky, and tasty broth. I had a couple Closed mussels that could have not been included but only a few compared to the pile you get. (Generous amount) Whole bill only 30 bucks! Awesome food for a great price On a side note.. the bartender... was nice and attentive. Good change from Los Angeles' rude bartenders. Would recommend 100% read more

My family took me here for mother's day. No one told us there would be a special menu and it wasn't posted on their website. Not one person wished me a happy mothers day the entire time we were there. We sat for a good 15 minutes b4 our server came. The menu was very limited. all eggs and wheat... which I have allergies to. I asked what else they could offer. She offered a corn tortilla burrito with potatoes and vegetables. I said how about bacon and avocado? After another long wait my family all got their food. When mine finally came it was 3 strips of bacon and a 1/4 sliced avocado. The End. Happy Mother's Day to me. Y'all really know how to make a girl feel special. Everyone said the food was decent but not special. read more

Enjoyed lunch at this cute spot with friendly & attentive service. The complimentary fried chickpeas were addicting! Ordered bowl of clam chowder, tasted great & the waiter remember to bring extra crackers as we had requested. The tri tip tacos were amazing! Tender tri tip, and I enjoyed it with queso fresco & lots of guacamole. Easy parking behind restaurant with 75 min free parking. Great covered patio in front with lots of seating & dog friendly. read more

So, here's the thing, we had a wonderful waitress who did a great job recommending drinks. We sat outside people watching which was also lovely. The problem was the food and the price, and the only reason the price was an issue was the poor quality of the food. Our flat iron steaks and fries were disgusting. The steaks had no flavor and were rough as what I imagine leather on a plate would be like. Our fries were flavorless, dry and hard. Our appetizers, vegetables, and drink were fine, but this dinner was not worth almost $100. read more

Wonderful meal! Great service... Fried chicken and vegetables tasted amazing ! Thank you Benchmark!

Food was pretty good. Staff was friendly and it looked like they all got along great, which is helpful in that creates some positive vibes.

Came for lunch on a Sunday. The atmosphere was pretty sterile until they put some music on and more people showed up. We ordered wings, mussels, thai curry salad, the wedge and the steak sandwich. The highlight was the thai salad, it was delicious. Everything else was okay, a bit bland. Fries were like Denny's. Had bloody's and they were good, but I couldn't help but to compare it to Brophys, so again they were a bit bland. The staff was super friendly, our waitress was slow, took at least 10 min to come to the table, but it just opened so I know they're still getting their bearings. I'll come back in a month when they get all the kinks worked out. read more

I been here a few times and every time has been great. Erick the Manager has always made us feel at home. The pozole was really tasty.

I went back to Benchmark and had a fantastic experience. The restaurant was busy, and we somehow got our food faster than when the place was empty. The food was very good, and the waiter was very friendly. Don't judge this place by one bad visit! Definitely worth the trip. Try the chickpeas!!! read more

Awesome sandwiches. Love the fried chicken one. Nice staff and good spot to hang on state street. Like the vibe of the place too. Big open patio. read more

My vegetarian pasta was very bland, but my boyfriend didn't complain about the steak. The service was not great as the waiters took a very long time to follow through with our requests. However, the venue is nice! It was a fine place for dinner that night in downtown Santa Barbara. read more

Awesomeness!!!!! The service was great, food on point I was not wowed by the signature drinks. Otherwise, I'll be back for happy hour

Oh wow food was impeccable and setting as well. My party choices were Clam chowder, Fried calamari, Chicken Banh Mi sandwich , Blackened seafood skewer, and Fish Tacos Across the board food was very delicious. Palates very very happy. My oh my. Server Andre and Bartender Dane were on point. Service impeccable as well. Plus we had an outside table with a cool breeze which added to its beautiful setting. Thank u Benchmark read more

The atmosphere is comfortable and open. The food is good and reasonably priced. I had the short rib which came with the best coleslaw I've ever had, and french fries. The meat melted right off the bone however it had a lot of BBQ sauce. For dessert I had the apple crisp. It was just ok. I would recommended eating here. read more

The food, location and atmosphere was good. The restaurant was even really full but we had to stand four 8+ minutes at the entrance waiting for someone to come all us if we wanted to be seated. After seating no-one came to get our order or ask us what we'd like to drink for 10 minutes. After someone came and we were done eating no-one came to ask us if we were done, wanted dessert or the check in 30 minutes! We sat there looking around and no-one came. I finally called one of the servers. We were going to get dessert there but since we weren't even asked if the food was good and sat (invisibly I guess) there for half an hour we decided better not risk it. read more

Meals at Benchmark start with a bowl of baked garbanzo beans. They were piping hot and tasty. I ordered a greyhound and their grapefruit juice is probably fresh-squeezed and literally one of the best in town. For dinner I had the battered fish tacos. The fish was good and comes with avocado, cabbage, and pickled onions. They don't come with sides and I was worried I wouldn't get full but they're pretty substantial and I could barely finish them. My friend was able to ask for grilled fish instead. I hear the veggie sopes are excellent and will try those next time. Benchmark has a great double-sided bar meaning you can choose inside or outside seating. The only downside is that the way the patio is designed makes it REALLY loud when full. Benchmark is right across from the beautiful Granada Theatre, which makes it perfect for a pre-show meal or drink. read more

We were a party of six who came to Benchmark for dinner for the Labor Day weekend. The receptionist was very friendly and we were seated at a nice table. Our waiter was named Ian, and he was outstanding. He seemed to want to please everyone, was great about describing dishes, and gave options of deep fried or blackened fish for the tacos we were interested in. During our meal he stopped by just to check on us and see if there was anything else we needed. Because of him we had a great evening. As we left, I told the receptionist how great Ian had been and she told us it was his first night and n the job. Lucky Benchmark to have such a great crew! read more

Awesome drink, great fried pickles, mediocre salad. The grilled chicken chop salad would have been great if it came a little colder and if it had more bleu cheese. Overall it's a cool place, I'll be back, I'll just order something different. read more

I'm underwhelmed. Took the family and everybody agrees. The food is blah. Not much flavor. Fish n chips: greasy and flavorless. Grilled chicken: dry. Service was pretty spotty. read more

The fried chickpeas were different and quite tasty. I had lunch with a couple of friends and ordered the steak sandwich. The steak was nicely seasoned and the baguette was very good. I love fried pickles so we decided to try some. It was all batter that was very greasy and the pickles were paper-thin. The dill dip was good however. I would definitely go back as there are other items on the menu I'd like to try. read more

Great spot. Good vibe. Indoor and outdoor bar. Family friendly. Chicken Wings are really really good. read more

I used to go to State and A but never made it to Maggie's bc of the reviews so I was excited when Benchmark opened up but service was slow, not knowledgable about anything. Example wanted vanilla vodka ( told me they don't have fancy drinks... As an industry bartender I turned my head and said look right there see the stoli,well vanilla vodka is located right next to it. Just write down my drink and give to the bartender lol. Food was eh ok nothing special... Ambiance was confusing. Not a horrible place but nothing special. Skip read more