benjy’s

Loved it! Their upstairs lounge area and patio are great for the happy hour, which has great deals on food and drinks. The downstairs seating area has a nice modern design. Overall a great place with great food and service.

I came with couple friends on a Wednesday during happy hour. The place is first come first serve. It has a good atmosphere & trendy music. The dining place is on the first floor & second floor is reserved for happy hour. I got Caramelized brussel sprouts, Roasted fall squash & bbq pork carbonara. The sprouts are my favorite but you probably should get something else with it as it can be a bit salty with the sauce. Parking can be a bit difficult to find but Love the atmosphere. You can walk to other areas.

Oh Benjy’s how I gave you a couple of chances to really whoo me but it just never happened. I never really got the excitement that everybody else seems to get. I mean the upstairs area is really dope but the food is just «meh». Maybe my palates are off, idk, but eating popcorn as a starter just isn’t a wow factor. I did give it the old school try. To each is his own.
P. S. — the blood orange mimosas go hard tho.

Great service and food! I highly recommend this restaurant. I highly recommend Kaitlyn for service.

How this place has such a high rating, I have no idea. If I could, I would give it a negative star system.
We came with a few friends who raved about benjy’s happy hour menu. At first, it seemed like a nice intimate place that had interesting drinks and a very vibrant, dynamic happy hour. A few of my friends ordered the cucumber mojito, which in my opinion was quite dismal. The cucumber in the drink completely dominated the flavor profile and didn’t allow any of the mint or rum to shine through. Another friend tried a whiskey and tea drink, which I would have presumed to be served hot as in a hot toddy. However, the resulting drink tasted diluted with no character of the whiskey or tea and was served on ice.
The final blow to me in terms of drinks was when I received my «perfect» manhattan. The bartender idiotically shook the drink instead of stirring it, used one of the neon maraschino cherries as a garnish, and used bourbon when I SPECIFICALLY told him to use rye whiskey instead. To top it all off, there was a massive hunk of ice in my drink, which diluted it to the point where it was just disgusting. 0/​5, bartenders at this place need to be sent back to school.
The appetizers I had were also quite dismal. I ordered the cauliflower tacos and the salmon sashimi. While it does take skill to make vegetable dishes shine on their own, I did not see any attempt to make this dish palatable. It was just a lot of fried cauliflower with some avocado and a really runny, bland sauce. The salmon «sashimi» was in essence a ceviche of sorts, where they used a citrus bath to semi cook the salmon. Just from looking at the salmon, the quality was not sashimi grade and was farm raised. To top it off, the flavor was rather bland, with almost no fat veins in the salmon. You might be inclined to say that I am giving this dish an unfair opinion, but keep in mind that most sushi restaurants will have a salmon sampling that is comparable in price and has INFINITELY higher quality than the salmon they serve at benjy’s.
After our dinner was over, we waited almost an hour before the server could deliver our checks to us. I’m sorry, but even with a busy service, you could watch an episode of television, have a drink, and then process our checks within an hour. Considering that we were in the balcony freezing our butts off, this is completely unacceptable.
I feel that benjy’s is almost completely flair and no substance. In no instance did I see a standard being kept at this establishment, and it preys on the fact that their food looks «attractive» while using sub-​par ingredients. ⁰⁄₅ would not come back again.

I’ve been meaning to come here for years and finally got the chance. The décor is great and the staff is extremely helpful/​friendly. We received a complimentary French toast that was amazing. I ordered the shrimp and grits. The shrimp were delicious but that’s about it. Probably the worst grits I’ve ever had. Way too creamy and flavorless. I also wasn’t a fan of the sunny side egg on top. The drinks were prepared perfectly. Overall the brunch was kinda pricey for lackluster food.

Great service for a large party. My friend and I had a joint birthday party dinner for 15 people and we were able to split the bill and got our food pretty fast (make a reservation).
At first, the manager told us there was a problem with the electricity line in the back and it caught fire. Power went out for a little bit, but they told us that we could go to the other location and to hold on for a few minutes. In the end, it was fine, and we started ordering.
I got the mussels and tune tartare appetizer. My sister and I split the seafood cioppino and the rissotto. There were really large portions. I thought the mussels were really good with french fries that you can dip in the sauce. The spicy tuna tartare was alright, but I have had better. The risotto was super creamy and I like the crunchy greens and tart cranberries in the dish. The seafood cioppino was a large bowl of mussels and shrimp and two triangles of toast. I think this is great for sharing and the dish was really flavorful.
Despite the power issue, I thought the staff tried really hard to keep us updated in the situation and had our food come out as quick as possible. We also got some chocolate cake on the house for our birthdays.

This is the second Benjy’s location I’ve been to and it is just as good. Nice flavor combinations, seasonings and sauces are on point, and the restaurant overall is one of my favorites to go to in Houston for a casual dinner.
I recommend this place all the time.

I came here with a group for lunch (aka brunch) and we had some ups and downs. I had the lamb burger which I enjoyed, but the fries with it were lack luster. Other people in our group of 8 had mixed feelings about the place. Most people enjoyed the little bread product things on the table as we waited, but service was slow and a few people were rather unimpressed with their meals.

So very disappointing– I would give it 3 stars but it has been a few days and I am STILL wishing the experience wasn’t so completely suck-​tastic.
We were in the area and decided to give this place a try after seeing the positive Unilocal reviews.
When we walked in the initial impression is, «this place is cramped, loud, and crowded». Luckily we were able to be sat after a short wait, however the place is so cramped there is literally no where to stand when waiting– we stood practically behind the hostess stand to avoid being in the doorway; it was raining outside.
We order the Caramelized Brussels and Pistachio crusted goat cheese as appetizers. Biscuits were served complimentary. The biscuits were good– not to die for. And the goat cheese was better. However, the sprouts… Ick! It came out in a bowl, the sprouts were not halved, but all peeled apart leaves– I don’t know if it was supposed to be like this or not. The sauce was completely overwhelming– couldn’t even taste the sprouts. It reminded me of the sprouts served at uchi but very poorly produced.
I wasn’t hungry enough for an entrée but my partner got the Benjy’s breakfast plate. Absolutely nothing special about it. All of the components were served in a bowl like plate– a nightmare for anyone who doesn’t like their food to touch. This was also annoying since you can’t put syrup on the French toast without drenching the eggs, sausage and potatoes as well. The eggs had absolutely no flavor or seasoning. The sausage seemed a bit undercooked. The potatoes were decent. And the French toast was great.
The chairs were uncomfortable. The waiter wasn’t the best despite other reviews mentioning friendly service– he refilled the water glasses right next to us (and since it is so cramped I really do mean RIGHT next to us), seemed to glance over at us and didn’t fill ours. Unfortunate for him since I had to wave him down and ask for a refill just as he came back from putting the water pitcher down in the back.
Overall the place was loud, crowded, and the food wasn’t special or worth it. Not coming back unless I’m dragged.

Loved this place! Came here for a quick bite to eat later on in the day with my boyfriend and I was thoroughly impressed. The ambience here is on another level. With beautiful dim lights hanging from the ceiling and nice indie tunes playing, I definitely felt like I was at a cute, nice, and respected place.
Instead of offering us bread while we age, we got special spiced popcorn. Thought this was a nice change of pace of the usual bread and butter you find at restaurants. The food we ordered was good. The only reason I’m giving Benjy’s 4 stars instead of 5 is that the brioche they gave me for my shrimp wasn’t the best and my pizza was a little bit too greasy with an I impressing dough. However, both of those menu items tasted great and I left satiated. I would definitely come here if you’re in the area and look nice.

While visiting Houston a friend recommended this place as the perfect brunch spot. It’s a cute little restaurant and the ambiance/​décor inside are perfect. Very eclectic vibe inside.
When we arrived the hostess was not very welcoming, she didn’t crack a smile once and I was expecting someone friendly & inviting (as most people expect of their hostess). She seated us and then when our waitress came, she too was very unfriendly. The whole vibe of the wait staff was not very welcoming so that definitely ruined the experience a little bit. As someone who was only in town for the weekend, all I cared about was how the food tasted.
My friend and I split the Benjys Breakfast Plate as it comes with enough food for 2 people. Eggs, French toast, sausage, and potatoes. It was average at best. We weren’t blown away by this platter.
I ordered the Butternut Squash Soup on the side because the description of madras curry mixed with kale and walnuts seemed interesting. This soup was truly delicious and creative. Definitely enjoyed this the best. However, it has a strong curry taste so if curry isn’t your thing you may not enjoy this. Give it a try if you want something new.
Overall, this was a below average experience.

This review is for the 20^th anniversary menu, which was superb! Started out with the ahi tuna spring rolls, which were distinctly unique from your garden variety Asian restaurant spring roll. The crust was multi-​layers of thin flakiness, and the bed of sprouts it was sitting atop was divine as well. For the main course, I ordered the beef with scallops. I really enjoyed the wasabi in the mashed potatoes — an unexpected touch that went a long way! Also thought the presentation was pretty. There’s only one dessert on the menu, and we ordered it — 4 layers of pistachio crumble, chocolate, chocolate, and more chocolate. I liked how the supreme richness of the Grand Marnier truffle contrasted with the light richness of the white chocolate layer. Nuts added variety to the texture with their crunch. As always, service was on point. Was very happy to be able to catch this special menu!

I really want to like this place because the décor and atmosphere are great. It’s a nice restaurant but still feels young and fresh as opposed to some restaurants that are extremely formal feeling. I have had things I like here in the past, but lately I haven’t been digging the flavors I’ve been encountering.
I went for restaurant week and everything I ordered had an extremely smokey flavor which I do not like. I had to force myself to eat the gazpacho soup which is normally one of my favorite dishes at other places. I only took a few bites of my entrée as well. It was definitely a big letdown.
Then I went recently and ordered another favorite dish: smoked salmon with avocado. How can you go wrong here? The presentation was beautiful, but the smoked salmon was more raw tasting like sushi than what I’m used to. It had no flavor and just didn’t mesh well for me with the also flavorless avocado. Again, I felt like I had to force my food down.
After these two experiences I don’t think I will be returning which is too bad, because it really is a cute place!

Its all about the Benjy’s breakfast and the complimentary biscuits that they serve. I was really impressed by the establishment and the food. This very chic and modern space serves up some the best french toast I have tasted. I ordered the Benjy’s breakfast that came with potatoes, sausage, egg, and brioche french toast. Brioche by itself is so good but add the french toast component and it is good as gold! I really enjoyed this meal and my only suggestion would be to use a better syrup, but that is just me being picky. The servers are very attentive and have great customer service! It is a bit pricey as I dined during lunch with drinks turned out to be $ 20 plus a tip. This would not be my go to everyday lunch or brunch spot, but definitely worth trying once in awhile.

We went in looking for a patio on a nice day and some mimosas. We found both!
The patio is a little small, but it was comfortable.
We shared the lamb burger and shrimp with grits. Both were delicious!
The shrimp and grits had a little spice to it, with a nice rich texture.
The lamb burger was a blend of savory flavors, and I highly recommend it.
Our server, Diego, was very attentive and helped us stay hydrated. :)
I would definitely return to try a few other items on the menu.

I love Benjy’s. Love, love, love this place!
They simply have delicious food, delicious drinks, and great servers in a great atmosphere. I love that their food is (deceptively) healthy, and it doesn’t make me feel guilty whenever I eat there for brunch and have like 3 – 4 mimosas with my meal. Their pistachio encrusted goat cheese is DIVINE, and their «Cobb» salad (I get mine without egg, chicken or shrimp depending on the location) is just fantastic. Boo loves all of their brunch dishes that come with eggs, and their beer/​drink selection is typically on point.
Their happy hour menu is pretty slammin’ as well — the amount of food you get for a small price like that is insane! I love that I can basically go here and get a decent meal for a decent price.
Great overall atmosphere, just really love coming here all around!

Benjy’s is a great mainstay in Houston with solid food and nice staff, though the décor and atmosphere are just a little pretentious for what you get. The prices match this a bit too. The beer selection was a bit disappointing in a town of so many good craft beers, but there were a few decent options from bottle. The food was good, but not amazing. The fried oysters were excellent with some of the best cauliflower I’ve ever had. The pizza was ok, but a little too creamy and I wasn’t a fan of the crust. The wings were also good, but had the unfortunate feeling of applying the sauce after cooking which is a cardinal sin to me. the sauce was quite good in its defense. Service was quick and friendly and knew the food menu, though not really the beer menu.

My dear colleagues took me to Benjy’s for my birthday lunch. I love that they serve brunch 7 days a week! BIG PLUS! I ordered Benjy’s Breakfast Plate. It included chicken sausage, scrambled eggs, roasted potatoes and French toast. Sounds yum, right? It was pretty good. I enjoyed the eggs, potatoes and French toast. I didn’t love the chicken sausage but I’m not a big fan of sausage anyway. My colleague ordered the Shrimp & Grits. Man, I wish I had ordered that! It was INCREDIBLE! It was so rich and flavorful. Next time I go, I’m DEFINITELY ordering that!
I love the cheddar biscuits and assorted breads you get when you first sit down. Yum! I enjoy carbs, maybe a little TOO MUCH. I also ordered The Spring Breaker drink. I’m a big fan of mint. It was very refreshing. Since it was my birthday, they brought out a decadent piece of chocolate cake that we all shared. It was FAB! I pretty much attacked the piece of cake before I even blew out the candle. True story.
Our server was very friendly. We finished off our meal with coffee. I had a cappuccino. Overall, it was a very pleasant experience. Prices are a little high. My breakfast was $ 16 not including my drink and coffee. But I will definitely be back! Probably solely for the Shrimp & Grits! :)

One of my all-​time favorite brunch places! It’s a little on the pricier side but it’s totally worth it. My friend and I both wanted the Smoked Salmon Toast, but our waitress recommended that we each get something different and split them, so we ordered one Smoked Salmon Toast and one Benjy’s French Toast. It worked out better than we could have expected — she split the dishes for us in the back so we each got two plates full of incredible food!
The Smoked Salmon Toast was probably my favorite, though it’s a tough decision. A slice of bread lathered in avocado mash and topped with egg whites, slices of smoked salmon, and sprouts, this dish is one of the best brunch meals I’ve had in Houston. The Benjy’s French Toast was incredible, too, though — it was warm and delicious, covered in pine nuts, vanilla whipped cream, and fresh peaches.
The service was great, plus we got complimentary mini scones and biscuits with a really good sweet sauce. I heard that if you go at night you get complimentary popcorn, so I may just have to make a return trip for dinner. Regardless, this is totally one of my new go-​to brunch places, and it’ll definitely be the place I take anyone visiting me from out of town!

Benjy’s is a great brunch place for families and dates. I definitely love brunch especially in the type of atmosphere like benjy’s. I had to make reservations as it was Father’s Day weekend. However, the place is two stories and seats quite a few customers.
I ordered the salmon toast, and the toast was crunchy and warm. The salmon was perfect in every way and the only thing it lacked I would say was that it was slightly slippery and had a really fishy after taste. I’ve had this dish in other places, and I didn’t think it was supposed to taste like this.
But I will be back and will have to try some of their other plates. I would recommend making reservations before visiting to avoid any waits.

The décor is very chic, modern and simple. I love the hairs because it super cute and comfy.
The staffs are nice and friendly but service was okay.
Shrimps and grits (⁴⁄₅) — The egg definitely help made the dish better.
Salmon toast (⁵⁄₅) — It healthy, light and delicious.
Omellete and cream cheese (³⁄₅) — I really like it that they did stuff a lot of salmon in the omelette, but over all it was a decent entrée
The spring breaker drink (³⁄₅) — tasted like soda but was refreshing
Complimentary breads (3.5÷5) — good but a little dry, wish it came with butter instead of applesauce dips.
Overall, a great place for brunch and definitely rsvp because the wait can be up to 30 mins. But for lunch it’s a little over priced for limited selections.

One of the most impeccable experiences I have ever had occurred at Houston’s own Benjy’s in Highland Village. I’m from Dallas and I know there’s a small rivalry when it comes to the two cities. But… I bow down to you, Houston. Jesus Christ, can we have this place?
Ordered the pork enchiladas, shrimp & grits, and the waiter brought us some French toast on the house. On another note, thanks for the PERFECT customer service, Jason!
The flavors and freshness in each dish made me want to jump on the table and do the stanky leg. Even if you solely go for the complimentary scones, this place deserves your business!

Que más puedo decir sobre la fama de benjy’s?!?
Este lugar es conocido en Houston por comida excelente!
Si vienes para Hora Feliz, Almuerzo, Comida o Cena vas a disfrutar cada bocadillo de todos los platillos aquí! Los sabores cambian en armonía según las temporadas del año.
Los dos bares (arriba y en el primer piso) son lugares ideales por la pre-​copa con amigas y amigos: las tapas son excelentes!
+++
What more can I really contribute to benjy’s sterling reputation?!?
This place is & has been a Houston fixture for many, many years for good reason: the food is excellent! Whether you come for Happy Hour, brunch, lunch or dinner you will not be disappointed! I have been several times and enjoyed every bite of every meal. I appreciate that they take great care to prepare food that cannot be duplicated at home. The flavors vary in harmony with the seasons.
The bars are a great place (both upstairs and downstairs) to enjoy a pre-​dinner drink. Obviously (as mentioned by legions of other reviewers) the upstairs bar area is better for Happy Hour because they have the deck (NB it has NO SHADE so do not sit outside until the merciless sun has receded a bit) and a lounge area.
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Was noch kann ich über benjy’s Ruf sagen?
Diese beliebte Institution ist schon seit Jahren sehr bekannt. Alles ist lecker! Für Getränke, brunch, Mittagessen oder Abendessen werden Sie von der Speisekarte nie entäuscht! Ich bin mehrmals gegangen und habe jede Stück jeder Mahlzeit genossen. Sie sind sehr sorgfältig in der Küche. Die Speisen wechseln mit den Jahreszeiten.
Die Bars sind tolle Orten (Oben und Unten), wo man sehr gemütlich trinken kann. Offensichtlich (wie viele anderen Unilocalers schon merken) ist das obere Bar besser für Happy Hour, weil Sitzplatze draussen verfügbar sind (Vorsicht keine Schatten ist vorhanden!). Lieber warten Sie nach Sonnenuntergang oder zumindest bis die Klima angenehmer ist.
benjy’s ist TOLL!