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    Benchmark

    3.9 (35 reviews)
    ModerateCanadian (New)
    Open 11:30 am - 2:00 pm, 5:00 PM - 9:30 PM

    Benchmark Photos

    Business Info

    BENCHMARK ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Good for kids
    Good for groups

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    Reviews With Photos

    Mary C. S.

    Wow. Wow. Wow. We were bowled over at the quality of the food, drink, and service here. Four of us ate lunch on the patio on a recent Friday afternoon. School is out, so the campus was fairly quiet. We enjoyed the gentle breezes and the attention to landscaping on the Niagara College campus. No worries about parking if the school is in session; there is a dedicated parking area for restaurant patrons close by. The menu is not huge, but varied so that there will be something that appeals to all. We started with a delicious cream of parsnip soup--I can honestly say I've never seen that on a menu before! That with the delicious freshly baked bread basket ($3) with honey butter--that and a glass of white wine and I could've stopped there. (but we didn't, of course!) Next came an appetizer of butternut squash sticks-in tempura batter and deep-fried with an accompanying aioli. Again--ever see that on a menu? Great for sharing and we wiped up the extra aioli with the bread. Entrees included a burger, a crispy chicken sandwich and a PLT Burger (burger with a slice of peameal bacon on top). All very good and served with freshly made french fries. Accompanying all this good food were beers brewed at Niagara College by students in their brewing program. Wines made at NC were also available but alas, I was the designated driver. They also now have a distillery on campus producing spirits. Did we have room for dessert? No way. So we ordered some anyway. Hubby had a delicious sticky toffee pudding with salted pecan bourbon caramel, served with vanilla ice cream, I had a scoop of the seasonal flavour of ice cream (vanilla rhubarb) our guests shared an absolutely beautiful dessert of a Chocolate Banana Tart (shortbread crust, spiced ganache, milk chocolate banana mousse, NC honey sauteed bananas, puffed quinoa crisp in dark chocolate). Whew! Good thing I took photos of the menu! ;-)

    Fogo Island Cod
    Karmen Y.

    Overall, this was a good experience as a group. Go in with the right expectations and it won't disappoint. The main appeal of Benchmark is 1) Supporting students and providing them experience, 2) Getting local food, and 3) Affordability of a meal given the high upcharge dining at wineries and other restaurants in Niagara. I ordered the Fogo Island Cod as my main, a little on the buttery side but filling with no complaints on flavor. Burgers also looked good. I will say that the pizza looked and tasted disappointing as per my party (i.e. personal sized pizza and nothing standout for topping/flavor). The major downside is the LONG wait for food, especially if you have a larger group and even when it's not busy. We went for a Saturday dinner, and despite tables being about 70% full, it took about an hour before we got something to eat. If you are starving and alone, this is not the place to be. You do have to be understanding that this is most likely because the students are still learning. A side comment that while service was good, it could be a little awkward at times. The server for example had to really reach between people and into the table to take the wine glasses away which were not used. Usually this is something that is more discreet and smoother with more experienced servers. Go if: You support student/education initiatives, want local food, have a restricted budget but still want a fine dining type of experience Seek elsewhere if: You are hungry/starving, dislike long waits, prefer more sophisticated food and/or dining experience

    Shaved beef with fries - hubby says "exquisite!"
    Norma S.

    If you don't want to sit outside, suggest you make reservations. In all honesty, we Yelp'ed this place and it had great reviews so decided to go for lunch. A bit pricey for lunch but the food was served in generous portions and, well, at a culinary school, plated pretty well (how can you mess up plating a shaved beef sandwich with fries?). If you are in a hurry, maybe you should try the "to go" option, we didn't and it seemed like we waited a while, in the hot sun (no reservations) for our food. My 30 minute lunch quickly turned to 1+. Just wish I'd seen the Groupon deal for lunch and wasn't working so I could try the wine!

    a dining room with a view of a golf course
    Jennifer K.

    2 star + 0.5 star for value I have been wanting to visit Benchmark after reading all these Yelp reviews and I love the concept of having the students can practice what they learn in a real restaurant setting. Arriving on a weekday for lunch and this place was packed. We decided to order their Trust Me ($25 includes a choice of beer/wine from Niagara College winery/brewery) to share and a la carte Buttermilk Fried Chicken ($12). Service was definitely a miss. We waited almost 20 minute in between appetizer and main course. And ended up our orders was messed up and the kitchen never even prepared our food. Our lunch experience lasted almost 90 minute, not really acceptable for lunch! Food wise was quite disappointing too... Trust Me ($25) Trout Mousse with Goat Cheese on a Flatbread - A-OK aside from the flatbread being really greasy Braised Beef with Homemade Pasta - Beef was a little tough but acceptable. The pasta was cooked al dente. However, there was not much taste to it.. bland... Pina Colada Gelato - The best part of the meal, smooth and creamy..... My Buttermilk Chicken was overcooked and dry and the batter was salty and bitter. If I going to grade Benchmark, my lunch experience would just be a barely passing grade C-. I don't think I expect much as a paying customer, to be served in a reasonable time and with decent food.

    Charcuterie and Cheese Board
    Susan M.

    This restaurant is a true gem. Service was spot on. Food was amazing. Best burger I have ever let grace my lips!! The merlot chutney was the perfect accompaniment. You can tell that these students take pride in what they produce. One of our best meals in Niagara by far!

    Trout kale appetizer
    Katty T.

    It was just okay. When we walked in they said that all tables were booked buy they squeezed us in. There were still tables left. Wine was good, and decent prices since wineries are near by. We had Arctic char and rib eye which were good. Their signature bouillabaisse was terrible! It looked good on yelp but their salmon was spoiled and sword fish was very fishy like it hasn't been cleaned and sauce was just cream. the table next to me was looking over at ours because waiter was recommending it but I wanted to scream DONT GET IT. the salad was good and the trout kale appetizer was great! Dessert was not impressive: creme brûlée was great but glutin free Black Forest cake and apple tart not so good. I would try here again once more but it is a bit of a gamble to eat here, especially considering the prices.

    Stephanie S.

    5/5 - Experience alone, especially if you're at the Outlet Collection which is literally across the street. HOWEVER, you *will* need a reservation which you can do online the night before you head down! Atmosphere was nice and accommodating. Tip: According to their reservation process, it seems to fill up quickly. Check their schedule, there's 1 day that they're not open for lunch. If you're in the area anyway, try calling them to see if they have a spot! 2.5/5 - non-prix fixe menu items. I'm disappointed to say, but the best thing I ate was probably their Ploughman's Lunch which is literally a charcuterie platter. Based on the server's suggestion, I ordered the House-made Fettuccine with Kale Pesto ($12/13), but it was completely INEDIBLE. Noodles were undercooked and underseasoned, so I felt as though I was eating raw, chewy dough AND a pretty large portion of it! :p When the server came to check-in on us, I had to send it back because I couldn't eat anymore of it. (I had maybe 2 small forks of it and gave some to my brother, in which he agreed with me about the super-el dente-ness of the noodles.) I did feel bad, but the server took it away and told me I could replace it with someone else on the menu. So I ordered the Winemaker's Stew ($14) which was slightly more edible, but not enjoyable. (I would NOT order this again.) The stew was super dark, but did not taste rich. Lacked depth and again, seasoning. Chunks of beef were hard and overcooked. I did try the items on the prix fixe menu ($25/3 course lunch) and I found the salad, pheasant, & desserts tastier than what I ordered. Would've been nice if the prix fixe menu INCLUDED a coffee/tea. It just seems like a nice touch! Beer/Wine Flights ($12/4 samples) - Most of the wines that my bro chose were gross, too sharp/acidic/young, needs to be aged more. Beers faired better. Decent value as an alcoholic accompaniment with a meal! I wouldn't hesitate to visit again, especially with people from out-of-town, but I would NOT recommend the pasta! Safe bets were the meats, probably Club Sandwich, and I'd say salad-items/anything with produce as it's grown on-site.

    Polenta fries

    Small-ish restaurant at the Niagara College across from the new outlet mall. Went here with my parents on a Saturday for lunch. Everyone had reservations -- I wouldn't wing it. Several families had young children including my little one. There is a patio for sitting outdoors if you like but it was too hot when we went. They offer student brewed beers and wines. You can sample them in flights and they are also available for purchase around the corner from the restaurant if you like. They also offered a local craft beer and a selection of local wines. Deep fried apples were more dessert-like than app like but were tasty enough with the dusting of cinnamon sugar. Polenta fries were different but somewhat underwhelming. Lamb Merguez Sausage Pappardelle was filling and savoury. The Seared Digby Scallops were delicious and seared perfectly. The Tandoori & Ice Syrup glazed Atlantic Salmon was the most disappointing for me. I did not find the combination of the curry grains and the salmon very appealing. Although the raita was delicious with the salmon. Their take on tiramisu was the star of the show. Fresh fruit and Riesling soaked lady fingers. We also enjoyed a lemon cake (cannot remember description). Service was excellent as well. Would come again.

    Scallops served warm and perfectly cooked
    Karyn F.

    Great dining experience, service was good, patio beautiful. food delicious. I have never eaten at a culinary institute before, this is the best kept secret. Really affordable too! I am going to tell everyone, and return.

    Amalia S.

    Amazing food, service and prices. Really impressed with the choice of food, interesting and a bit different. Was tasty and great. Servers were nice, knowledgable and well trained. Overall very well done. Will go back for sure.

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    Play Bar & Grill

    Play Bar & Grill

    4.8
    (9 reviews)
    0.7 km

    A little hard to find, it's inside the spa resort up the stairs to the left. It's casual and quiet…read more When we were there there were only 3 others in the dining area. Service was first class, I had a Caesar which came with a loaded skewer of pickled goodies and the drink itself was great. The boss had a watermelon mule with a shot of vodka to kick it up a notch. Tasty drinks complemented our fish and chips. We both had the Bar Fish n chips. Huge chunk of tasty lightly battered cod with a mountain of fries and coleslaw. Delicious. We were presented with home made complementary chips and aioli which made finishing dinner a challenge. Would like to try other items. Good experience.

    Quick to be seated with reservations…read more Beer and appetizers came quick. Potato chips and Appy Sampler (4 veggie spring rolls and 4 potstickers) were cold, not even like warm. I felt like it was sitting out for awhile. Appy Sampler came with plum sauce and Thai Chili sauce, which was preferred over the plum sauce. Zen burger was made with black bean, brown rice, and lentil - which was a nice twist to it. I'm not a fan of a plain black bean patty, but the lentil made it stand out. I noted a hint of curry with the lentils. I really appreciated Mireille double checking if I was vegan/vegetarian to ensure the cooking staff didn't cross contaminate. Pressed parm was a classic item. Standard marinara and provolone wrapped in a naan bread, which I thought it interesting. Overall, I'd come back and try the Nilly sandwich and other appetizers, but would really hope for fresh appetizers.

    Photos
    The boss, making decisions.
    The boss, making decisions.
    Club Sandwich
    Club Sandwich
    Fluffy Rice

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    Fluffy Rice
    The Blind Pig

    The Blind Pig

    4.5
    (157 reviews)
    8.3 km
    $$

    We looked for a place off the touristy areas of Niagara Falls. We checked Yelp and it steered us…read morehere. Again, Yelp got it right. Great, great wings!

    What a fun place to check out! I was looking for someplace different, when this stumbled across my…read morefeed. So I decided to go check out the blind pig. Pretty easy to find, you can't miss the rustic looking exterior with the blind pig in huge letters on top. There's a decent amount of parking, but I'll bet when this place gets busy it's tougher to find a spot. When you walk inside, the interior is very well kept and has a rustic bar-like feel to it, plenty of bar and high top seating as well as booths. I decided to order an iced tea. Something I've noticed about Canada, iced tea is usually a sweetened drink. Not like iced tea you get in the states. So just be aware of that if you're looking to get some iced tea. Regardless, it was very tasty and hit the spot perfectly. One thing I like about this place is they have a bunch of different specials throughout the week, the day I went the special was the brisket sandwich and side salad for $13.99 Canadian. I upgraded to the Caesar salad, and also ordered a side of KFC, or Korean fried Chicken for those of you in the know. Let me tell you something about that. KFC, absolutely delicious! How can you go wrong with fried chicken thighs with Korean BBQ sauce? You can't, that's what I'm telling you! The brisket sandwich was really really good, albeit just a tad dry. But I'm not deducting any points for that. It was absolutely delicious and worth every penny. Service was great, friendly staff, and everything came out as expected. Bottom line? I will definitely be back for that brisket sandwich. They also had some other specials so I guess I'm going to need to spend an entire week here and just eat my life away at the blind pig.

    Photos
    The Blind Pig
    Buffalo cauliflower
    Buffalo cauliflower
    Bar

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    Bar
    LIV Restaurant

    LIV Restaurant

    4.2
    (30 reviews)
    0.7 km
    $$$

    LIV restaurant is located inside White Oaks Resort with plenty of parking spots outside or walk…read moreover after shopping at the outlet mall. The decor is modern and eye-catching. Not a lot of people for a Sunday dinner which I was still surprised that we couldn't make reservations for 5:30 pm. At the end, the most they had was 6 tables with guests. So basically, quite empty. While we waited for our food, we were presented with complimentary chips and a dip, house made since it was still warm. Crunchy yummy!! My hubby had their burger with a salad. And he said it was pretty damn good!!! I had the eggplant Parmesan but sans the cheese. The two eggplant pieces were large and the pasta was cooked right. Smothered with lots of tomato sauce. However, I was surprised it came in a bowl instead of a plate. So indeed the presentation could be better. Overall, the taste was there and I was a happy Cat. Too bad I didn't have room for dessert. I would have loved to try their chocolate avocado cake. Sounds interesting!? Moreover, White Oaks Resort is a very nice place to stay at if you are around the Niagara-on-the-lake or Niagara Falls area. ** Don't forget to take a stroll at the back of the resort. Very calm and relaxing. They have a pond full of goldfish. Starbucks and McD is across from it so hop over for any snacks.

    Menu selection is great -- options for vegetarians + we did dine with vegan needs and gluten-free…read moretoo. Service was incredible ... if you order the nachos be HUNGRY! This image is a half order and with 3 of us eating there was still about half left. Table for 2 behind us order the full nachos ... they'd wished they'd known! They were delicious tho. Other items included Caesar salad, classic club, and a lentil salad.

    Photos
    A Latte.
    A Latte.
    Broken Eggs. 3 scrambled eggs with dill, cream cheese, and breakfast potato and smoked salmon.
    Broken Eggs. 3 scrambled eggs with dill, cream cheese, and breakfast potato and smoked salmon.
    LIV Restaurant

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    George's Greek Village

    George's Greek Village

    4.1
    (97 reviews)
    3.0 km
    $$

    We had lunch here on a Friday and the patio was packed happy customers enjoying their food and…read morebeautiful view of the river. The menu offers great variety of Greek cuisine and is split into lunch and dinner menu. We ordered "Saganaki" for appetizer and "Kebob Combo" and "Octopus Dinner" for main. We also enough the complimentary Greek Salad served with Garlic Bread. Dinner menu is served with the sides of potatoes, salad and rice and the portions are generous. We replaced potatoes and rice with cooked vegetables. Everything tasted fresh and delicious. For dessert, we ordered the delicious "Baklava Sundae" and enjoyed Greek Baklava with vanilla ice cream. The atmosphere is warm and cozy. The staff are friendly, especially George made our lunch memorable.

    Stopped in Sunday evening for takeout. We were in town for a ball hockey tournament and I wanted a…read moregood meal not fast food. I walked in placed an order at the register and it was ready within 5 minutes. I tried the lamb souvlaki sandwich with a side of potatoes. The sandwich was good but I was expecting something more filling, it was a little thin and unfortunately got soggy on my 10 mins drive back to the rink. The potatoes while way bigger than I was anticipating were tasty. I should have gotten a piece of baklava because it looked amazing! I thought about it all night. If I am back in the area I would like to dine in, they have a great menu and the restaurant sits on the water with pretty views.

    Photos
    George's Greek Village
    Baklava Sundae
    Baklava Sundae
    Baklava Sundae

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    Baklava Sundae
    Hot Lobster Dim Sum

    Hot Lobster Dim Sum

    4.3
    (102 reviews)
    8.8 km

    This mom and pop Chinese restaurant in Niagara Falls, Canada is just what Yelp should promote. It…read moreis not in the heart of the touristy areas but just a short drive away and well worth it. The place looks like a home that was converted into a restaurant with parking in the back but once you enter, you feel like you are going into one of your Auntie's places for an actual home cooked meal. And they did not disappoint! Each dish was made to order and took a short time but you could tell it was prepared by a chef with a lot of experience and care--just looking at how the veggies were chopped/diced you can see they put their energy into each dish. The flavors were really superb and not at all overpowering and one major bonus--nothing was over salted or over oily as you might think typical Chinese food can get. Our party of 4 loved every bite and finished all our dishes, no leftovers. As you can see in the photos, they make an excellent meal. Prices are also very affordable and competitive with anything near the touristy areas. So if you want a solid, great meal prepared by a true mom & pop kitchen that feels like a home cooked meal, you really gotta try them out. I asked them how business was in summer vs winter and they said it's tough when it's winter (less tourists) but they make it work. It's also nice and quiet/intimate so you can have an actual conversation with your group rather than try to talk over some loud music at a chain restaurant! ----TL;DR---- Pros: excellent Chinese cuisine at very affordable prices and great portions. Not too salty or oily. And super nice, friendly owners who provide great service and great food. Cons: not easy to walk to from the main strip but if you have a car it's an easy drive. Skip the touristy places and come here! Bottom Line: it was the best meal we had in Niagara Falls and everyone was full and satisfied. I'd definitely go back again.

    We ordered the 2 pound lobster dinner with three dim sum items. Ginger Lobster was great. Dim sum…read morewas ok. Also wanted some veggies so I also ordered a Stir fried broccoli was very good. Service was slow and there was really only person trying to handle everybody. We were told to simply write down the numbers associated with the meals listed in the menu because the waiter was too busy and seemed to have limited English. Although the waiter vacuumed the floor by a previously used table he was able to get to bus or clear that table left with dishes from a previous diner. So the ambiance was marred by the lack of staff to clear the tables. We were treated with an extra dish of four hot and spicy fried shrimp and took it home because we were too full to eat any more because we still had some lobster left over.

    Photos
    Interior main dining
    Interior main dining
    Two pounds of lobster...
    Two pounds of lobster...
    Restaurant entrance

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    Restaurant entrance

    Benchmark - newcanadian - Updated July 2026

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