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

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

Outstanding casual dining with great service. We were a group of 11, including 2 small children and the service was amazing and the food was great. Staff was on top of everything from helping with ordering recommendations to making sure the waters were refilled. Great location as well...right on State street near shopping. We will be back! read more

Great drinks, great food , great service. The pozole verde (with added avocado) and the ribs were both wonderful separately and in combination. The server was very good and also a very nice person. This is my new favorite restaurant in Santa Barbara! read more

I really like this place! It's a really fun location. The Pimms drink is delicious. I'm usually a gin and tonic drinker because I don't like sweet drinks but the Pimms drink is the perfect balance and surprisingly strong! Also the fried pickles will rock your world. read more

We are from San Diego, and we visit SB about once a year. We had eaten here a couple of years ago, and went again for the great food. Not disappointed. We had the Brussel sprouts for starters. Wow! The chickpeas that they have on the table for nibblers are incredible. I had the "small salad", and eggplant Parmesan for my main course. The salad was huge, and I loved the basil vinaigrette dressing. The parm was served in a hot pot. Great meal, and attentive servers. See you next year! Keep up the excellent service and food. 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 was a nice dinner spot on my recent visit to SB. It wasn't packed on a Saturday night. The service was really fast and pleasant. They give you delicious friend chickpeas to start! We had tri-tip tacos and fish tacos and both were quite good. I would definitely return! read more

This review is related to the experience we had dealing with the hostess. We could not even make it past the rude hostess to get to a table and eat. I had a reservation for a table for 2 through Yelp. I arrived for my reservation and noticed 4-5 empty tables inside the restaurant. Before I could remember to tell the hostess that we had a reservation, she asked if we wanted a table inside or outside. I said inside (since it was 50 degrees outside), then remembered to tell her that we had a reservation. Once she found out we had a reservation, her demeanor changed for some reason. Then she insisted that the only table available to us was the one on the patio right at the front entrance by the hostess table. I asked if we could get one of the many available inside tables. She (very rudely) informed me that those tables were for people with reservations who were arriving in 30 minutes! Really?!! I had a reservation too! Why couldn't you just seat me at one of those tables? Then she had had the nerve to tell me that I'd be right under a heat lamp at the outside table. But the tone with which she said was the most bothersome part about it. So cold, Rude, and uninviting. I would never return to this place! I was left to wander around looking for another restaurant to eat at on New Years Eve. Luckily, we found some nice people who were able to accommodate us at another restaurant down the street and had a nice meal. read more

We are traveling from out of town and decided to walk based on menu. I had the vegetarian sopes and I was surprised on how delicious they were very filling too. My girlfriend had pozole and it was full of flavor without the greasy taste you normally get. Two great dishes. I will be back again next time we visit. read more

My husband & I found this place a few months ago when we were in Santa Barbara, & loved it. The fried chick peas were fantastic. The food was great. I had the cheese board & the goat cheese beet salad. It was fantastic! The goat cheese comes baked on top of the salad. I added chicken which made it even better. We went back to this restaurant last night when we were going a concert in Santa Barbara. We were equally as satisfied with the service & food. I recommend coming here read more

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

We had a great lunch at this spot. I don't usually order a salad but I decided to try the wedge with the garlic dressing and it was amazing. My girl got the spinach salad and it was also prepared well. Their drink selection is deep and unique and I recommend this place. read more

This place can be the best of so many different dining experiences from dressy-casual to totally mellow and laid back. Their cocktails are amazing. I like the new slushy machine drinks. The macho mocha is something I'll be going back for. Their charcuterie platter is TO DIE FOR. Alex is a great bartender who is knowledgeable in her craft, but also just a chill and fun person to chat with if it isn't too busy. Eric Madrid is just about the best manager any restaurant could be lucky enough to have. We chatted for a bit to catch up, and he just seems very happy to be here, which tends to rub off on everyone who chooses to come here. While there must be some people who love those fried garbanzo beans, I don't know anyone who does, and I think they're gross. Other than that, this place has really found its place in Santa Barbara. The best thing about this place seems to be the people who work here. The food is high quality for a reasonable price. In the last four times I've been here, I have always left feeling better than when I walked through the door. Excellent job! 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

Great environment and very friendly and attentive staff. My family went in on a late Sunday morning over graduation weekend and we were lucky enough to get a table with no wait before the rush. The food was pretty good, although I did not care for the sangria. It was very watered down. Aside from that a very cute place in the heart of state street. Will go back for sure. read more

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

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 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

We arrived with 90 minutes until the Opera across the street. The food was amazing, strong drinks, and shared appetizers were a hit! I will definitively be back! read more

This was a cool spot. I loved the environment and most of the staff there was very friendly. Unfortunately my waitress wasn't too helpful and when I asked her some questions she didn't seem to want to give me the time of day. I also felt she was rushing us to be done. This mostly bothered me because the restaurant wasn't that busy at the time. When the food came out though, it was amazing. I would definitely come here again in hopes of a better waiter. 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.

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

It was 1st Thursday and after enjoying a stroll through the museum as well as attending a special welcome for a new furniture store last week, decided to eat at Benchmark. I ordered fish tacos and my friend ordered a burger. We each ordered a glass of wine and the food came out after 20 minutes or so. My friend cut into her hamburger which looked rare, a little disappointing since it was suppose to be medium to well. She cut into it and began eating as I into my tacos. The waitress left an d seriously never came by to see how everything was or if we needed anything else! I made a comment to my friend, I had never had tacos were salsa was not even offered, so strange. We tried to get her attention with no luck, let alone a bus boy. A few more bites into the hamburger and a hair appeared, really gross! Finally after another 35 minuted or so,the waitress finally dropped the check -not asking how we were doing or possibly asking if we wanted a another glass of wine or dessert. We just looked at one another because it was so odd. Needless to say we were very disappointed and won't be rushing back to Benchmark! read more

One of our local watering holes we come in for ice cold chief peaks after work! The staff is amazing and Blair goes above and beyond to create a great experience with great service! Great job benchmark! And your clam chowda is awesome! read more

Actual patio outdoor seating in downtown SB! (Not just sitting on the sidewalk). Good service. Great menu. Nice venue (lots of indoor seating too). Plus a bar. Fair prices. Close to parking. Great location - near Granada, Arlington, and Art Museum. read more

I love this place! We went for a quick bite before a performance at the Granada Theater. They seated us promptly without reservations and the server was warm. I highly recommend outdoor seating since it's beautiful in the evening with the lights as long as the weather allows it. The best part of course was the food. We ordered the chicken chopped salad and cioppino. Food did not disappoint. The ingredients were fresh and of good quality. And the service is prompt. 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

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

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

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

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 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

Just finished eating here and OMG..so delicious. I had the panseared salmon. It was cooked well, not dry at all and very fresh ingredients. There's something for everyone here. We also had the Chocolate pot de creme and again amazing with quality ingredients. I will definitely return. Amazing customer service, warm and welcoming environment. read more