Great setting with seats by the water. This is the lobby spot for the Marriott by the Rio Nice couches and a good place to meet at a meeting. Food was expensive. Drinks were even more expensive. Will come again anytime I'm at the hotel. read more

The Bench - Poutine Tots - New American Near Me - Gaithersburg, Maryland

Staying at the Marriott we enjoyed a Wonderful -delightful, breakfast buffet today! The omelet station amazing , actually all of the food was fresh, and well worth 23 dollars.....excellent attentive staff, who are so friendly and welcoming! read more

What happened here!!!?? My husband and I came here a few times and it was always a quiet place to get a good meal and decent full service (wait staff, bar, real silverware, plates meals. Hubby met someone here today and it was a shell of its former glory. No wait staff, had to scan a QR code and order online, and food was brought out in brown bags! Not sure if this is due to a recent uptick in COVID, but hubby thinks it's permanent. The food wasn't too bad but again the experience was weird and impersonal and to top it off, their tasty wings are off the menu. So it's not worth it, head to one of the many other (even though they're busier) establishments. read more

My family came here yesterday for lunch. We were looking for a place to dine outside and the Bench hit the spot. The manager agreed to serve us outside even though it was January (but still 60F outside) and it was a good experience. We had the mushroom flatbread, the sweet potato salad, the crab soup and I had a Bloody Mary. Everything was enjoyable - I think my favorite was the soup which was more like a bisque than a typical tomato based Maryland crab soup. Overall I appreciated the good service and the nice patio overlooking the Rio lake and would recommend this as a lunch option for those wanting to dine outside while at Rio. read more

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Good happy hour food and drinks. Admittedly, a hotel bar (Marriott) is not the first place one thinks of for happy hour. However, the food and drinks are good - especially at happy hour prices. We had solid manhattans to drink and buffalo wings. The pretzel bread comes with a great cheese spread - really tasty. Not a bad option for quick happy hour bites at the Rio. read more

My review is for their Weekend Breakfast I stayed at the Gaithersburg Marriott hotel recently and decided to check out their breakfast. I knew The Bench was located in the hotel and it was great to know that their breakfast was available as early as 7am to as late as noon (this was on a weekend). You have two options to choose from - either do their buffet for $18.95 or order from their menu. I decided to check out their choices first and based on what I saw, I chose the buffet. One of the friendly servers showed me to my seat and asked if I wanted something to drink - I ordered orange juice not knowing if it was part of the buffet (I found out later that it was as I was not charged extra for it). From what I remember, the buffet choices included pancakes, eggs benedict, sausages, pastries, croissants, muffins, scrambled eggs, bigger sausages, bacon, potatoes (cut in quarters), french toast, waffles, cereal, yogurt, juice and fruit (melon, cantaloupe, strawberry, pineapple, banana, orange and apple). There was other stuff I am sure, but I am writing this from memory, plus I made 2.5 trips in selecting what I wanted. I liked that whenever I was finished with a plate (at my table), the staff did not pick up my plate unless I was there (I guess it was their way to make sure you were finished with your plate). I shall do the buffet again, but just eat more stuff - try to get my money's worth...at least. Plus, the staff was friendly and very helpful. read more

The Bench - Some selections for their Breakfast Buffet - New American Near Me - Gaithersburg, Maryland

I made the mistake of taking my family here for Mother's Day Brunch . The service was terrible, empty serving trays, the omelette bar from hell and waaaayyyy too expensive for what you "didn't" get. You live and learn. I won't be back read more

Went to happy hour on a cold quiet night. Nice booths with TVs. A nice ambiance and $6 margaritas were delicious, albeit a little small. Will go back in the spring or summer to enjoy the outside patio. read more

While staying at the Gaithersburg Marriott we stopped in to the bar, The Bench one day around early evening on a Saturday for a glass of wine before our event, which was at a nearby hotel. We were waited on rather quickly and the staff was friendly and smiled. They have a pretty nice selection of wines, especially for a hotel bar. We didn't eat on this visit, but the items on their menu looked decent. The next morning we did walk through the restaurant to go for a walk and noticed the placed was packed... the food smelled amazing and looked really good. read more

The Bench - New American Near Me - Gaithersburg, Maryland

Perfect for a late evening drink & snack. Sat outside and enjoyed the evening and live music from across the pond. Great service from whole staff especially Ali. She recommended the tempura shrimp steamed buns & they were great. Fluffy warm bun, crispy shrimp with a tasty chili sauce. My wife loved her veggie quesadilla - as a bonus it came with crisp hot fries! A definite repeat. read more

The Bench offers a very good Happy Hour!! I have been here in multiple occasions and enjoyed it every time! I usually come to the Bench with coworkers as I used to work right next door in the Sodexo building! We usually celebrate birthdays here or just outings! The drink specials are really good! I always get the house margarita which if made eight packs a real punch! As far as the food is concerned, the wings are very good! A real winner with my friends and I rather enjoy them also! I also like the tacos! They are soo good and very flavorful!! I usually come out smelling like roses after I e left the Bench! However, my friends have complained about their prices! So beware, the tab can get heavy really fast! I personally enjoy The Bench! The service is great and so are the food and drinks! read more

A great addition to the Marriott! I cannot say anything about the food as I only enjoyed night caps here. I like the bar area and restaurant, but I love the outdoor patio seating especially on a warm night!! A few of the booths had there own tv so we had an awesome spot to watch the World Cup highlights! The patio also has TV's which was nice as we were able to catch the end of the college World Series (some of my co workers love to watch it?). The service was very good and with a smile. The drinks were excellent too! It's always a plus to have a nice hotel bar! read more

Food and drink - with bar and restaurant and lounge seating - with TVs and a lovely view of the lake. Good amount of food options for a hotel lounge / restaurant - and prices are comparable to other mid-scale hotels. But the food is just fair. The flatbread was really a thick bread, with some arugula and mushrooms in the center and bare around the edges - and rather greasy and salty. The crab and corn chowder was better - light and very spicy. But the service.... well, if you want stuff in less than an hour or two, head to the bar and order it yourself. They will then deliver it to your seating space in a timely manner. It's an okay place for folks staying in the hotel - clean and okay prices and options and lots of seating and nice views. But if not staying in the hotel, not someplace I would ever head to. read more

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A reasonable cost for breakfast, when purchasing off of the menu. The All American Breakfast with two eggs, hash browns, sausage/bacon, and toast is $14.99. I mean, the cost to generate this food is nothing, but when it comes to eating in a hotel is becomes outrageously expensive. I will give them credit for cooking my eggs correctly. I asked for them over medium. They are they only place that seemed to know what that means. What did I learn today? Grab the paper in the lobby, they have the Street and USA Today. read more

Happy Hour: 5-7pm $3 Bud, Miller drafts $4 Heineken and Mich Ultra bottles $5 Rails $6 House Margaritas $4 House wines $3 off apps - nachos, chicken wings, crab and artichoke dip, spreads (hummus) read more

Went here for a birthday dinner with my family. Wasn't busy at all, it was our party of 4 and maybe another table or 2, at around 6pm on one Saturday evening. Service was great, prices were a little steep, but the food was very tasty. Was able to use my Marriott discount, really enjoyed the restaurant quality and customer service. Would have liked to see more menu options, though. Will still go back sometime to try again. read more

The service was TERRIBLE! We ordered a bottle of wine which they didn't have in stock and the waitress couldn't recommend another wine. We selected a wine and then she asked us if we want her to open it I was thinking that we just want to look at it. After we told her that yes please open it, she comes with the wine with the bottle opener already screwed in she uncork the bottle pours us the wine recorked the bottle and left.and the bottle of wine was $50. I would expect much better service for these prices read more

My family has been coming to The Bench on special occasions for the past few years. Long story short my grandparents have mobility issues, and we have been coning here because of the convenience and reputation of Marriott hotels. Unfortunately our experiences have gotten progressively worse with each subsequent visit. It feels like we are approaching an event horizon each time we dine here, as time seems to stop. It's like pulling teeth getting service here. The accuracy of food orders has been poor, dish-to-dish consistency is spotty at best. Our worst experience to date was on Thanksgiving this year. Many people in our party ordered from the three-course prix fixe menu. Some wanted other options. Knowing how hit-or-miss the food and service can be, I went with the safest route and ordered a turkey club sandwich, anticipating that their attempt at a thanksgiving dinner would be mediocre at best. It took forever to get drinks, to start off. Next, some salads came out with appetizers and they sent one entree out with this course. The diner was perplexed as to why his meal was coming out along with salad and appetizer... The server said she would "hold on to it, if you'd like." This wasn't even foreshadowing but acknowledgement of what was to come later. There seemed to be a basic confusion of when plates should be coming out as it seemed like they were ready to bring the entire order out all at once... So half an hour passed, and the soups had been served in the meantime. The entrées began to come out. The panini sandwich that we saw with the salads returned, dried out, pathetic and at room temperature (on a searing hot plate that was handed to the diner). They did take it back and remake it. Many diners reported cold turkey on their plates. The salt and pepper shakers were piss-poor and barely worked. Food was delivered at irregular times so some got to eat while others waited, no one wanting to wait for their food to chill until the next plates randomly showed up. Our complaints to the manager were not met with regret or sincere apologies. We were given excuses about a short staffed kitchen but no one in our party felt assured that things would improve. We got the impression that all they could say was "we're sorry, this is the best we can do." At this point the meal was dragging on for several hours, which was problematic as we had a handicapped accessible cab coming to pick up our grandmother. They rushed dessert out and eventually we discussed the matters with the head manager, who offered a substantial discount. It was the least they could do, and that's all they did. While it was a struggle for the kitchen to produce our orders, the food was OK. Not great, not terrible but not worth the menu price. My club sandwich was good, but it's pretty pathetic when that's all you can expect from a restaurant at a Marriott. From seating to check closing, our meal took almost four hours. The only reason I bumped this review up to two stars was because the food was decent and we were given a discount. I highly doubt we will ever return. read more

During my stay at the Gaithersburg Marriott I visited The Bench twice. On my first visit, I had to hunt for a server. At 8pm on a Saturday, there was a party of 10 inside and two tables of 2 outside. The kitchen was out of the appetizer and entree I tried to order. I was served by the bartender. She forgot to bring me parts of my order and never refilled my drink. My turkey club was pretty good but the french fries were from frozen and had no seasoning. My soup had raw vegetables. Not al dente, raw. The bartender was very friendly and very nice but, the service was terrible. Sunday morning I went down for the complimentary breakfast for Marriott members. I spent a few minutes trying to get a server and finally gave up. I helped myself to the buffet. The food was standard steam-table breakfast fare except for the pancakes which were hard and crunchy. (yarg) The only way to get drinks was through the servers. No server ever approached me. I tried to signal them a few times, gave up, ate my breakfast and walked out. I recommend walking outside the Marriott to one of the many restaurants along the lake. The Bench isn't worth it. read more

The view from the patio is probably one of the best in the Washingtonian Center. The food was pretty good, but portioned pretty small like any other in-hotel restaurant. The reason it was not a higher rating because the food was decent, but not memorable, and that the waitress took way too long to come back in between things. After finishing our meal, we waited maybe another 45 mins outside before she came to collect the plates and so we could order dessert. But I only expect that because of the fact that it is a hotel restaurant and not an actual restaurant. But again, the view/decor/atmosphere is amazing. Great place to have drinks and hang out with friends whether your visiting or live in the area. read more

The Bench - The view from the outdoor lounge. Perfect for a summer night. - New American Near Me - Gaithersburg, Maryland

Woke up on a Sunday morning really wanting something along the lines of IHOP where I could get a decent waffle and some eggs with cheese, but then noticed I'd had an advertisement for The Bench and decided to try there instead for their breakfast buffet. The atmosphere was very nice, kind of like a cross between being in a restaurant and a hotel lobby. There were probably about 8 to 10 TVs on the wall which made me think the place would be really nice to go to during major sports events. Ironically, I went the morning of the Super Bowl. I arrived at about 11 AM and there were a few families speckled throughout, which was good for me because it allowed me to sit in a quiet section by myself. As soon as I walked in, the restaurant manger, Janice, greeted me warmly and showed me the food on the buffet: eggs, hash browns, bacon, yogurt, pastries, oatmeal, fruit, sausage, French toast, and other standards you'd expect at a hotel buffet. When she told me that the cost was $18.99, I was about to change my mind and head over to Target to grab some stuff to make my own eggs and waffles, but then Janice informed me that the cost included a waffle and an omelet, so I stayed. Then Janice walked me arm-in-arm to my table to get me settled in, and that blew my mind. The food was good, but it's really the ambiance and the level of customer service offered that makes me rate it as 5 stars. Without me asking, they provided fresh strawberries and whipped cream for my waffle, which is exactly what I wanted. I'll try to upload a picture if I can, yes, I'm one of those people who will take pictures of their food just for this sort of thing. As I prepared to leave, the waitress offered me a coffee to go, which saved me $5 from having to go to Starbucks, and is the first time I've EVER been offered that service. I said goodbye to Janice, commended her and the staff on doing a great job, and promised I'd be back for happy hour soon. Can't wait for the weather to warm up so that I can do lunch or dinner and sit in the outdoor seating area. Should be a blast. read more

My wife and i made a last minute call to go there for dinner after seeing ok reviews on open table. I'm not sure where they came from since our experience seemed really sub-par. From the start they didn't have our reservation listed even though i had my open table reservation confirmation. We had to choose from 2 different seat, one of which didn't accommodate a high chair for our daughter at all. having to sit at a 2 top table with a high chair on the side made the space very tight and it didn't work well at all. That's just the start and here are another list of items that didn't go well either. 1. Food Service was really slow. 2. Server was unexperienced and needed more training. 3. Table wasn't cleared before serving the next round. 4. Chips that were served were stale. 5. Asked for fresh chips and never got them. 6. Had to grab a straw from the bar myself since service was slow and inexperienced. Ugh it was just a rough night and we didn't have a good time at all. I would skip this restaurant if i were you. read more

So the food is alright and the server was GREAT. But the service/kitchen is SLOW. We have been here for about 2 hrs now. We asked for our desert with our check about 15 mins ago (after we were done for 20 Mins already) and we are still waiting. the food took so long to come out that my bf actually ran across the street to ran an errand and we were still waiting even after he returned. Its clean and a nice ambiance. Food is decent (nothing to be blown away with but decent). Would have been a great experience if we werent here for so long. And we are still sitting outside so its getting very cold at this point. I hope they hire more ppl. There seems to be a bottleneck even without a crowd. Guess they are not efficient? read more

Ordered the scallops and asparagus. Was very hungry, tired and on the phone checking in on my kids while I ate (so ill take some of the blame) noticed Scallops was undercooked. About 2.5 hours later spent about 2 hours over a toilet throwing it up. read more

I stay at this Marriott or the nearby Courtyard very regularly for work. I have eaten at almost every restaurant in the Rio Washingtonian area and this is my favorite, hands down. I never would have even thought of eating here until my coworkers told me it was good. Now, I regret all those trips to the gross-to-mediocre chain restaurants in the area when I could have been eating here! The veggie burger is straight up delicious (get it on the brioche bun though), as is the quinoa superfood salad. The flatbreads are surprisingly good, too. My coworkers swear by the crab cake sandwich and it does look delicious. They have a good beer and wine selection too, especially for a small hotel bar. The only thing I've tried there that I would not necessarily recommend was the apple crumble/crisp dessert. I've found the service really good, and it's definitely getting better and better. The service is best if you sit right at the bar, although lately it's been great at the tables, too (historically it's been a little slower at the tables but still fine). There's a bartender there who is just fantastic - she's just so nice and friendly. I feel like this place is a totally underrated option for the area! read more

The bar is great and the food is amazing too. I really get the fact that you can really enjoy your meal together with your drink. This is one of those places where you just go to relax with your friends. I definitely would recommend this place to anyone who has never been here before. read more

This place was "Ok". We were seated close to the door and it was very cold. The food took forever to get to us, and the menu wasn't very diverse. The last straw was when we were waiting for dessert. We waited 30 minutes just to get one. Definitely will not be coming back. read more

Really enjoyed the food! Kale chips were delicious and loved that the head chef came out and explained how to prepare them at home! Chicken was also beautifully cooked and wine and service was attentive and friendly for a Saturday night before Christmas. Our only complaint is that the restaurant is so open, you feel like your dining in the hotel reception area especially because there was a big Christmas party and half the restaurant was roped off for private use. However, we are looking forward to visiting in the summer as it looks like the terrace looks great! read more

We wanted to have my son's graduation party in Rockville/ Gaithersburg and a friend suggested we check out The Bench and we're glad we did! THEY HAVE A GREAT, NEW TEAM IN PLACE- IF YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT HAVING AN EVENT, CHECK THIS PLACE OUT! The managers were extremely accommodating.......they were GREAT about moving tables, selecting a great menu, explaining everything so there were no surprises! The waitresses were super nice and attentive, the food was delicious, and came out hot! Everyone that we dealt with there was really professional & worked really hard to make sure our graduation party was great for our guests, for our son & for us throwing the party. THANKS TO EVERYONE AT THE BENCH & MARRIOTT! PS. CHECK THIS PLACE OUT IF YOU'RE HAVING AN EVENT! read more

How about over cooked scallops and uncoocked barley. The barley was as hard as pebbles and totally inedible. On this one experience, I would say that this is one of the worst restaurants I have ever had the misfortune to eat in. A Chef who doesn't have a clue on how to cook barley is INCREDIBLY Bad. Pete. Bracken, Gaithersburg, MD read more

my coworkers and i had drinks here after a long hard day. we chose to sit outside at night and it was really nice, but it was hard to get some service. they had a decent amount of drink options. my coworker ordered one of the starters (i can't remember which) but didn't like it- she said it was a little bland. plenty of outside seating and you get a nice view with the water nearby. read more