Joe and Blake were awesome. Me and my family have been coming here for years and everyone is always super nice. The Foods amazing I love the new menu the pork chop is delicious but my favorite dish will always be split between the burger and the brown butter cake read more

My husband and l shared what I will call the perfect meal. Crispy artichoke hearts, Caesar salad and hanger steak cook to perfection. We have eaten there multiple times. Find the staff terrific, the food. Superb and the atmosphere inviting. read more

Lovely casual outdoor patios with twinkling lights and old trees. Loved the calamari! I always get the Korean bbq tacos. An order is 4, on a sliver of radish and greens. Delicious. Our table ordered the brown butter cake and pear tart. Will definitely be back!! read more

Best service. Great vibes. And one of the best burgers I've had in a long time. We stopped at Benchmark to start burger week off. Little did we know that it didn't start till 4pm. Oops! However, I still decided to order the burger they had on the menu. The only reason I was going to try it and not save my burger week pick for a different restaurant was because our waiter Joseph, sold it to us so well! And I'm so happy I believed him. It's definitely a mistake try if you love burgers and juicy tasty ones too. We also ordered their açaí bowl and that was prepped so well and all the flavors from the fruit and cinnamon and honey went all well together. Definitely something to have on a warm day. Joseph tried selling us on their fondue but we felt it was way too much food so we opted out but vowed to try it next time. He was so kind though and let us sample a small amount. Amazing! You have to get the fondue!!! The place is only outdoor seating but it's all shaded and fresh. Parking is located past Benchmark and right after a Coffee shop made out of bricks. The parking is validated as well. read more

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We hosted a baby shower for my sister at Benchmark and what a horrible experience. On the day of the event, it was around 90 degrees and the AC broke. The room was getting progressively hotter so we asked if the AC was on and a server casually told us the AC was "on the fritz." We had spent months planning this event and this was incredibly disappointing. Even before the guests arrived, I noticed the cupcakes and macarons I had brought in melting from the extreme heat. All the guests were noticeably and understandably uncomfortable and sweating the entire 3 hours. No one came to check on us or to apologize for the inconvenience. This was not the event we had envisioned for the guest of honor who was 8 months pregnant. It was not only uncomfortable but also posed a health risk.The restaurant showed a lack of concern, care and accountability over the entire situation. I understand that the weather and the AC breaking were out of anyone's control but the handling of the situation and the aftermath was poor. We tried to give the restaurant opportunities to make this right but they failed at every opportunity. Because of the lack of communication, poor decision making and incompetency, I cannot recommend this restaurant for any events. The servers were nice and the food was all right but there are many other acceptable options for food in the area. read more

Beautiful outdoor setting, delicious food, excellent service. They rolled out some new menu items today, and I tried the Thai green curry and it was fantastic, the best curry I've ever had! Someone in our party had the hamburger, which was amazing, we had the frito misto appetizer, and it was so good we ordered another! Both the owner and the chef came around to our table to check on us. Epic experience! read more

Celebrated a friend's 40th birthday here for dinner. A cute little place with a cute vibe. We had a group of 5 and got to sit on a corner of the outside patio. Our waitress was friendly and sweet. We ordered salads, burger, pasta, fries, and a couple drinks. Overall it was a great place to eat and hang. The only downside was when our checks got switched with another table and it took them a long time to resolve it. Other than that, everything was great! read more

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Came here before for brunch and thought was pretty standard. Came again for dinner. Even on a Sunday, place was packed. Friends and I did family style. Got to try so many dishes. They were all delicious. My favorite was the Thai seafood curry- full of generous amount of seafood. Buttercake was yummy. Reminds me of mastros. Lavender haze cocktail was whatevers, really low amount of alcohol added. read more

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Ate dinner there. Food was very good with unique flavor pairings. Started with the truffle arancini which are balls of risotto deep fried. They were probably the least favorite thing we had. The center was a bit gooey but the accompanying sauce was excellent. We had the cabbage which was very good - a-little on the spicy side but that was good for us The salmon had a miso marinade which was delicious- very flavorful and moist. Finally ended with the butter cake which was fantastic . Reminded us of the old Bacardi rum cake recipe. Waiter was very good and attentive despite the fact i think he was the only waiter working ONE NOTE : they don't have a full liquor license but they have sake was infused with the spirit you wanted. So i had an old fashioned and surprisingly it tasted like an old fashioned after the ice had melted a little in the glass. The acohol content was only 24% so if you wanted a stiff drink you were out of luck but the prices for the drinks seemed reasonable read more

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This place is one of the cutest spots in Santa Ana!! It is fully outdoors and has such a cute vibe. Their food and drinks were also super tasty. We only tried some appetizers but Thoroughly enjoyed the experience here. The server and bartender were both very welcoming and friendly! Definitely going back for a full meal experience!! read more

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Such a cute little restaurant in the heart of dt Santa Ana. Luckily the weather was in our favor today during lunch time and it was so nice to sit outside. Tables were under a canopy and there was a nice breeze. Service was good, not super crowded and no wait! Win win! Most importantly, the food was really good! The French toast looked like it was going to be sweet but it was perfect! Not overly saturated with the dulce le leche or the syrup. Highly recommend! My daughter liked the chicken sandwich, had a little Asian twist with the pickled carrots. The artichoke dip was good but it tasted more like a soup but the pretzel sticks were soft. The chicken zinga was good too but it was basically the inside of an enchilada in a cast iron dish. All in all, great experience and food. Def would go again and would recommend! read more

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We came for lunch and the environment is nice outside, we were seated outdoors. I remember the sun could be an issue, a lot of the areas aren't shaded. It seems like this spot is super popular for brunch drinks. Had the birria taco and this one was probably my favorite of the dishes tha we ordered. There is a crispy shell, two different sauces, and condiments to add with it. There is a lot of different textures and the meat was juicy. The smoked salmon flatbread wasn't as good, it looks very colorful and pretty, but I didnt think the flavors went together very well. I like the smokiness but the salmon wasn't umami enough to justify mixing in caviar and avocado and arugula that would normally pair well with beef. Finally, had the chicken tinga skillet, which had flavor in the sauce, but the chicken itself was just ok. read more

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Been wanting to come here for so long and couldn't be happier that we finally did! Sadly I can't remember our server's name (black beard, super nice) but he was awesome and made the experience that much better. The pork chop was perfectly juicy and tender, as was the wagyu. The butter cake was phenomenal but I am already thinking about going back for that chocolate cake as soon as possible! Great ambiance and an ideal spot to sit outside and enjoy the perfect California weather. Excited to return soon! read more

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We LOVED this restaurant for brunch. Here's a few notes: - Parking was pretty difficult, they have a small lot behind the restaurant but you'll have to park on the street otherwise - The entire restaurant is primarily outdoors/patio vibes. I loved it though and it's pretty covered so even if you do go for brunch the entire patio is shady which prevents the sun from burning you - the staff and our waitress were so nice and patient. they'll take the time to go over the menu with you even during a busy brunch rush - food was SO GOOD. I ate the furai chicken and thankfully they refill the chips once you run out I'm pretty sure this place is dog friendly, BUT i didn't bring my doggo this time around. read more

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I can't speak highly enough of our experience here. We had a group of 30 rent out their separated banquet room for a graduation lunch. The processes of selecting a fixed menu, decor and setup were seamless. We were able to visit ahead of time and were walked through all of our options. Day of, our guests had a great time and raved about the food! (Burgers, tacos, salads, fries) - you can't go wrong with any of the options! A VERY special shoutout to MITCHELL, who was our go-to staff member during our lunch. He took care of all of us and was practically part of the family by the end of the meal! To this day, people in the group talk about Mitchell. Rockstar - give that man a raise or promotion or something! read more

Benchmark - MVP Mitchell taking care of our group! A glimpse into the banquet room as well. - New American Near Me - Santa Ana, California

We had difficulty with the validation for parking. Their website doesn't mention that you should not pay for parking before you give the server your license plate number. It just says to give the server your license plate number. The parking lot also states that you have to pay for parking when you first park. We didn't want a ticket or to get our car towed so we paid. No reimbursement for us. We ordered the miso salmon, burger, arancini, and pear tart. The plating of the food was pretty. The salmon itself was good but the sweet potato purée was so gingery. My fiancé has a mild allergy to ginger and ginger was not mentioned in the ingredients even though the whole purée only tasted of ginger and not sweet potato. Maybe we should have told them about the allergy and shouldn't have assumed that it would be a ginger puree instead of sweet potato. The burger was extra well done with a lot of burnt char and tasted super burnt. The arancini and the pear tart were tasty and light, but the server didn't bring us a knife to cut the tart. It was a struggle cutting the tart with a spoon. The best food of the night was those parmesan fries. It had great crunch, texture, and flavor especially with the garlic aioli. It was kinda difficult getting a server's attention because they seemed to be crowding and talking to each other near the bar. The place had a lot of flies, which I guess can be expected for an outdoor restaurant. We felt like we were swatting at flies more than eating the food. Overall, the place had cute lights, decoration, and nature aspect. Very unsure if we will come back. read more

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This is a cute, aesthetic outdoor restaurant but I will say parking was difficult to find and the lot they have is really small so we had to find street parking. got here a little after they opened on a Saturday and was told we can only order off the brunch menu. We ordered parmesan herb fries, bulgogi kimchi fried rice, birria tacos, and the crispy chicken sandwich. It was hard to enjoy the food because we are currently in a heat wave but also leaves were falling into our water and there was a fly that just kept bothering us. The food was alright, for the price it couldve been better. I mainly enjoyed the fries. presentation though was nice. our server was nice but she did say that they do team service meaning any of the servers could help us but unfortunately she was the only nice one, the guys were hard to grab their attention when we needed to ask for something. and when we asked for a new water because leaves fell into it, they took 20mins to bring us a new one and also had to come back to ask us what it was we needed again. I will say this needs a lot of improvement for service. but maybe later in the future I will give this place a try again, and not on a very hot day. read more

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Such a great meal at Benchmark! Joseph was so kind and accommodating--he made us feel right at home and took amazing care of us. Our favorites were the burger (so juicy!), the artichoke fondue (a must-order), and the butter cake, which was the perfect sweet ending. Everything was delicious, and the service made the experience even better. read more

Benchmark - New American Near Me - Santa Ana, California

Always a great spot in Santa Ana! Feel like this place always hits the brunch feels! Outdoor seating when the weather is nice is perfect! They were a little busy this past Sunday but our server was attentive and apologized for any food delays! By far some of the best French toast I've ever had! Gotta say the Kimchi Fried rice was also a fave. read more

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Lovely restaurant with excellent service and terrific food. Seating is mostly outdoors, nestled off of a moderately busy street with little noise. The vibe of this place is eclectic, with creative drink selections and a carefully curated menu. Our server, Blake, was helpful describing the main dishes and steered us to two very good main dishes. We will be returning. read more

Benchmark - Mushroom pasta - New American Near Me - Santa Ana, California

Cute, ambiguous corner, with greenery and peaceful vibes. Very much enjoyed the nature aspect of the interior design and it made a great photo opportunity for me and my friend. Service went well, checked in here and there, made sure we got our order. We tried three dishes and two drinks LAVENDER HAZE (Mocktail Version) - 3/5, very pretty, but tastes a bit watered down. Someone try the alcoholic version and let me know what it's like haha. BENCHMARK BLOODY MARY: 5/5 my friend liked it and it was spicy! ENCHILIDA SUIZAS, lobster + shrimp filling, corn, poblano cream sauce, pickled red onion, cilantro, queso fresco, I give 5/5, I enjoyed the combination of the sauce and enchiladas, it wasn't overcooked and had a great refreshing savory flavor. Plated very nicely, visually appealing. BULGOGI KIMCHI FRIED RICE, fried eggs, gochujang, green onion furikake, pickled radish, cilantro, I give 4/5, overall I enjoyed this plate, but I do feel the beef could have been slightly stronger in terms of flavor? The rice was holding all the spices and taste. DULCE DE LECHE FRENCH TOAST, crème fraîche chantilly, brûléed banana, chocolate sauce, maldon salt, I would give 5/5, presentation was beautiful, taste wise I really enjoyed it, had a very good balance of sweetness and not too strong. I know my ratings are less than a 5 in general, but I really felt the whole experience was pleasant, enjoyable, good food and good vibes, therefore 5 out of 5 read more

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Parking, is pretty small i had to move twice cause they share parking with a apartment complex, the menu changed for the season don't trust the pictures online, we try the Australian wagyu and i didn't really try the quality, my wife choose the mole and the flavor was good but the chicken was kind of dry, not juicy,, service was ok maybe I'm picky but they never offered a 2nd drink to me i had to survive with 1 beer my entire meal, best part was the dessert 10/10 we pay and left we said thank you and no one responded Lol! Still u guys should give it a try maybe u got better luck!! Place is open and really nice !! read more

Benchmark - Pier tart - New American Near Me - Santa Ana, California

We've been here a few times over the last year and absolutely love it. My husband comes every time he drives through town. The food is great, the service is amazing. Snag an outdoor table if you get a chance. read more

So parking is a pain in the butt! Be careful where you park bc I got a citation! What can you do. We came for happy hour today and the Brussel sprouts were back on the menu and were delicious! The fritto Misto was also good. I just didn't realize everything I got was fried. A bit much. The fries we dipped in the extra sauces. Servers were attentive and we enjoyed it! SYOY! read more

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Came for dinner on a Friday - I love the outdoor patio area it's so cute, love the decor (it's a shaded area). The service here is really good too, we had two servers check in on us throughout our meal. My favorite dish was the pasta alla vodka - it was perfectly delicious and creamy with great texture of the pasta. Also enjoyed the roasted citrus chicken, although it was a a bit dry. For appetizers, I highly recommend the artichoke fondue, which came with soft warm pretzel bread. read more

Benchmark - New American Near Me - Santa Ana, California

We came here for OC Restaurant Week and had such a lovely experience! The restaurant ambiance is cozy and romantic with the tree canopy and string lights. We were initially disappointed to find out that the cocktails here are sake based, but the guava cocktail was delicious. Everything we ordered was delicious. The tuna appetizer was fresh and citrusy, the steak and shrimp pasta dishes were well balanced and seasoned. We loved both. The pecan cake was decadent and delicious. Our server Mark was very helpful and attentive and provided great service. We will be back! read more

Benchmark - Shrimp pasta and steak - New American Near Me - Santa Ana, California

Went for a belated birthday dinner with friends, and can confirm that the food was great! Well balanced flavors and textures across the menu, and there's a fun mix of classics and adventurous fusion dishes. Pastas were cooked al dente, and the fish was flakey and sauced nicely. One warning, we didn't get seated until 45 mins after our reservation time on a weeknight, and the servers all seemed to be on different pages on how to seat us. read more

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I was looking for a last minute brunch place and found Benchmark through Yelp. I made a quick reservation and showed up 15 minutes later. The restaurant itself is located in downtown Santa Ana. There is a small parking lot right behind the restaurant, which will most likely be full. Alternative parking is available around the neighborhood if you can find it.  Upon sitting, I was surprised that the place wasn't busier. It was really cute - patio-style seating with trees that provided ample shade. Lanterns and fairy lights were strung throughout the area. The dark wood bar and kitchen gave the space a classy and modern feel.  I enjoyed the Lavender Haze, a seasonal drink. Vodka-infused sake with a lavender simple syrup and muddled mint and blueberries. Sweet and refreshing. Our server was Joseph who treated us so well throughout our meal. Joseph knew the menu front and back and gave us great recommendations. I had the Benchmark burger which was delicious. We also shared the dulce de leche french toast.  I was surprised it was as easy to get a table as it was. The drinks were delicious. The food was delicious. The vibes were great. I would definitely be back for brunch. read more

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3.5/5 stars. Came here for brunch on a Saturday. We made a reservation, although it didn't look like it was needed. Parking is limited - We were able to find street parking after driving around a bit. Ambiance is cute - it's all outdoors, and the waitstaff was friendly. We tried the harvest salad ($19) with a side of smoked salmon ($6), artichoke fondue ($17), and the benchmark burger ($22). We weren't impressed by the food. It was solid, but nothing outstanding. The harvest salad was pretty tasty with the cranberries, pepita seeds, and the poppy seed dressing (got it on the side). It had a lot of quinoa in it. The smoked salmon was too salty. The burger was solid. The meat was juicy, but the flavor wasn't exceptionally special. The Bavarian pretzel was soft, but maybe could have been better with butter. The artichoke fondue was average - it was kind of bitter. The menu was small and lacked variety. The food wasn't special, but it was still pretty enjoyable. read more

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Overall, would recommend this place. We got the cheeseburger which was really tasty. A little smaller than what I expected for $22 and the fries portion was a little lackluster. Could have doubled on the fries. The star was the pretzel like breadstick and artichoke fondue. It was really unique and tasty. We ended up dipping our fries in it. We sat outside and with the sun shades, it was really pleasant. Our server was very patient and quick to assist. Only "con" is the portion size for the entrees. read more

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The ambiance was perfect for a date-beautiful and quaint, with a lovely outdoor setting and charming string lights. Service was superb. Despite being busy with several large parties, our food arrived perfectly timed and the staff remained attentive throughout the evening. The cocktails were excellent, with the Blackberry Mule being a standout. For dinner, we ordered the steak and risotto. Both were cooked exceptionally well. The steak was a perfect medium rare, tender and melt-in-your-mouth, while the risotto was fluffy and savory. However, both dishes felt a bit over-sauced, which overpowered the natural flavors of the beef and risotto. While the food didn't fully hit the mark for me this time, the ambiance and service were strong enough that I would happily return and try a different dish. read more

Benchmark - Risotto - New American Near Me - Santa Ana, California

Superb. Beautiful patio, wonderful and creative food, and great service. No indoor seating, but rather two shady patios. The food was really special. Service was friendly, prompt, and accurate. read more

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If you like a romantic outdoor vibe, this place is PERFECT for you. Benchmark in the heart of Downtown Santa Ana has become a pretty often craving for me ever since I came here for the first time a year ago. Personally, my favorite dishes are the KBBQ Tacos for shareables and the Gochujang Fried Chicken as a main dish. They both give a variety of unique Asian-inspired flavors and the proportion sizes are always adequate. From their drink menu, I've also tried their Butterfly Strawberry Spritzer and the Lavender Haze. I do tend to like my drinks on the sweeter side and these two were definitely up to standard! The dishes typically take only about 10-15 minutes to come out and the servers I've met so far are very friendly and welcoming. Of all the times I've come here, they've done an amazing job at leaving a great impression. read more

Benchmark - Butterfly Strawberry Spritzer and Korean BBQ Tacos - New American Near Me - Santa Ana, California

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Absolutely love coming here! the staff is always AMAZING. the food is always fresh and delicious. hearty portion size. we have been coming here for YEARS and each time is better than the last. love the intimate cozy feel, mix of modern and rustic. 10/10. read more

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Excellent dining experience in every way. If the weather is friendly, do head to Benchmark for brunch. The fresh air dining is wonderful. Easy to talk with friends, ample seating and a really cozy, hip environment. Our server was wonderful and the lender circulated, chatting with guests. Well run restaurant. Our party of 5 all really enjoyed their entrees. Hot, flavorful and appealing, the main event did nit disappoint. I loved the crispy chicken sandwich with fries. Upscale comfort food. The chicken tinga skillet was flavorful though it seemed more like an appetizer. Prices were high-average for this area, yet worth the full dinking experience. Only drawback is parking. If you are able to walk a block or two, park behind the restaurant, on a residential street. Wonderful venue for exploring downtown, historical Santa Ana. read more

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Such a cute vibe here tucked away in a newly renovated part of DT Santa Ana. The waiters were attentive, friendly and welcoming the moment you walked in. The food was delicious. I ordered the Crispy Chicken Sandwich and Salmon Flatbread. Both had great flavor and did not disappoint. There is little parking spaces in their parking lot but there are surrounding street you can find parking in. I do recommend making reservations because this place fills up as soon as it opens. read more

Benchmark - Crispy Chicken Sandwich with Parmesan Fries - New American Near Me - Santa Ana, California

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Food is delish. Great ambiance. Dining al fresco is always nice. My husband and I eat out quite a bit and we love supporting DTSA businesses like Fat of the Land and Lola Gaspar. However, service was a little slow here at Benchmark and they will ask you to leave as soon as you turn down ordering dessert because "they need the table for people that are waiting". Never mind that your party of 7 on a Thursday evening just spent upwards of $400 on various appetizers, alcohol, and 7 dinner entrees . It was embarrassing to be asked to leave, especially since we were out to dinner with family from out of state. Felt like we violated the Chuck E. Cheese 1.5 hour rule but we had only been there 1 hour 20 mins. Funny part was we had just gotten a box for leftovers and had no plans to stay much longer because it was a work night. Honest question, why not seat the people waiting in the covered patio right by the entrance? There were multiple EMPTY tables and chairs? And another thing I noticed when we got up to leave, I noticed the four cooks in the kitchen were staring at us through the window and smirking. So yeah. There's that. Owners, if you have video, please pull it and watch the behavior of your staff. And make sure they groom themselves before coming to work to serve people food. The guy that was serving us grossed me out. He looked like he needed a bath. read more

Benchmark - New American Near Me - Santa Ana, California

Such a cute restaurant, feels like you're in someone's backyard with good music and hospitality. Ordered a few things on the menu and I would say the short ribs were definitely the star of the show. They were perfectly tender and it complimented the dish really well. Ahi tuna was fresh. Pretzel bread with the dip, amazing. Fries, amazing. I got to experience the restaurant during the day/evening as the sun went down and the ambience was already nice but it's even more beautiful at night when the lights came on. They also have a back building tucked away in the parking lot where they do private dinning/events. Really cool place/concept. PARKING: their parking lot is tiny, only a few cars can fit in there. I would recommend trying to find street parking or there's a parking lot the next block over. I usually find street parking but I think they do validation for the parking lot. read more

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I don't usually write Yelp reviews, but after an experience that was impossible to ignore, I felt the need to share what happened. I'm currently 8 months pregnant, and I had my baby shower at Benchmark on July 25, 2026. This is my first baby, and my best friend and sister spent countless hours planning the shower. They invested so much time, effort, and money to make it a special day, and we were all incredibly excited. When we arrived, the event space was extremely hot. We were informed that the air conditioning had broken the night before and were given a few fans to help. I was surprised that no one had contacted us ahead of time, especially since it was 95 degrees outside. At the very least, I expected someone to discuss alternative options or move us to another area, but that never happened. As guests began arriving, the heat only became worse. Our shower was from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., and by the end, everyone was sweating and fanning themselves. It was incredibly uncomfortable and definitely put a damper on what was supposed to be such a memorable day. Another issue was that servers were constantly walking through our private event space because the restaurant's freezer was located in the back. Throughout the entire shower, staff were repeatedly coming in and out. This was never disclosed to us when we booked the event. Even with all of that, I tried to be understanding. Equipment fails, and I know unexpected situations happen. I expected that a manager would come speak with us, apologize, and try to make things right. Unfortunately, that never happened. Instead, we were given only $150 off a $2,600 bill. The food itself was delicious, but because of the extreme heat, we couldn't comfortably enjoy it or safely take leftovers home. It felt like we were sitting in an oven. After the event, my best friend contacted the manager, Pedro. It took about a week for him to respond. He acknowledged that they should have informed us about the staff traffic through our event space and admitted that he should have personally apologized for the air conditioning issue. He offered us a gift card, but we requested reimbursement of the $400 room fee instead. Since they had already deducted $150 from the bill, we asked for an additional $250, which seemed like a reasonable compromise considering the circumstances. His response was that they still had to pay the servers and cover the cost of the table linens. That explanation was extremely disappointing. We were also required to pay a 22% service charge for servers who, understandably, weren't present much because the room was so unbearably hot. This experience turned what should have been one of the happiest days of my pregnancy into a stressful and disappointing memory. While I understand that mechanical issues happen, it's how a business responds that truly matters. Unfortunately, the lack of communication before the event, the absence of management during the party, and the unwillingness to provide what we felt was a fair resolution left us feeling undervalued as customers. I hope management takes this feedback seriously so future guests don't have a similar experience. read more

One of our favorite places that we have ever tried! The appetizers are a must try! The fries were so crispy yet so fluffy on the inside. The ahi tuna was amazing, must try. The rigatoni was ok, nothing surprising. The steak had a very strong wine glaze which was not our favorite. It was very busy when we got there but we were lucky to get a small table by a tree. All the servers seem to help all the tables so service was a bit chaotic as different servers asked us if we ordered already. Regardless, all of the servers were super kind. This restaurant only has outdoor seating area which creates a breezy and chill vibe when the weather is nice. read more

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