Benjamin Steakhouse

What a cool place. Very classic and stylish. The food was great and the steak I had is in the top five ever.
I will go back whenever I have the chance.

Kept us waiting 45 minutes for our reservation. Poor inattentive service, had to beg for service, steak arrived ice cold, tough and tasteless. Not an aged prime steak.
VERY mediocre. For sliced porterhouse, stick to wolfgangs or Lugers. For grea ny strip, stick to Sparks.
Enough said.

Though the food is pretty comparable to other high-​end NYC steakhouses, this place is pretty much a nightmare. I walked in with two friends at about 6:45pm on a recent Wednesday. As soon as we entered, we could tell that the place was mobbed. We had to fight our way through the coat check area to the bar, which was also extremely crowded. After standing at the bar for almost 15 minutes, we finally got the attention of one of the bartenders and ordered a drink. The place was so loud that we almost had to scream to speak to one another though we were only feet apart.
After we were finally seated at our table (only 15 minutes past our reservation time, not too bad) we were promptly greeted by a waiter who offered us drinks. We asked for a wine list, which he brought, and then disappeared for another 15 minutes or so. We finally ordered the wine, and he came back about 10 minutes later with the wrong bottle. So, now we’re seated for 25 – 30 minutes and have yet to receive our wine. At long last, we get the correct bottle and order dinner. The appetizers came quickly, but my friend’s onion soup was cold and had to be sent back. Another 10 minutes pass and the waiter returns with a properly heated crock of the soup.
Once our appetizer plates were cleared, we waited 45 minutes for our main courses to arrive. We were told that our food was coming «in a minute» on two occasions, only to continue to wait. Conversation during this time continued to be difficult due to the level of noise in the restaurant. Lot’s of large tables filled with yuppies yelling and screaming at each other.
So while the food was good once it arrived, the overall experience was very unenjoyable given the poor service and the noise of the restaurant. It was more like a fancy frat house than a high end restaurant. For the money, there are other NYC steakhouses that serve as good, if not better food in a more relaxed, pleasant atmosphere.

I placed a seamless order at this restaurant two hours ago and have yet to see my order. I called the restaurant and they said «all orders have gone out» — but they would not even check my address/​or order number to confirm if in fact, my order went out. When you place a $ 30.00 order for a burger — you expect to be told if it actually was prepared & sent out for delivery. So far, I’m still waiting.
Will never order from here again. Extremely disappointing.

Food: I was there with a handful of people and j think everyone ordered a steak. I had the filet cooked medium and it was served just right. Probably about 12 oz or so. I love steak sauce no matter how good the steak is so it was great to see that they keep their house made right on the table. Very good sauce. Similar to Peter Luger’s. Appetizer was the lobster bisque. Awesome, but most lobster bisque’s I’ve had are awesome so didn’t really differentiate. We also had a seafood tower. Delicious as expected. Lobster, clams, crab, oyster.
Service: attentive, but could have been a little quicker to fill up our waters… polite, knowledgable, professional
Atmosphere: typical NYC high end steakhouse… which is fine by me.
I’d go back, but can’t say I prefer it to a Morton’s, Capital Grille or Del Frisco’s. Thank you for a nice meal.

Steve was a wonderful server, friendly, attentive, and kind. The ribeye was mouth watering and the Apple Martini VERY memorable. Like sipping on one of those old school green ice pops in the plastic that use to cut up your mouth lol. I will go back to Benjamins just to sit with Steve and have a few of those martinis. The general manager Mario was also very kind and has a wonderful staff. You can’t not have a good time here.

I would give this place 3 and a half stars. As you enter the door, they have a wine display on both walls of the corridor. The place was packed with people as we approached the hostess. I think its because of the hotel upstairs. We arrived early hoping to be seated immediately. Unfortunately, we were told our table would be ready closer to our reservation time. Even after our reservation time, we still had to wait half an hour to be seated; some excuse about a large party taking longer then they were expected to. So i asked for a menu, so we wouldnt waste any time deciding what to eat once we were seated. Some latin chick was complaining that her party had already waited an hour to be seated, and still their table wasnt ready. So when my table became available, i told the hostess i would give my seats to the chick and her party, just so she could shut the fuck up already. The hostess just laughed and told me that the table for her party of four just wasnt available yet. So they walked us upstairs to our table. I have to say the décor was extremely elegant. Upstairs, the view of downstairs was nice as well. The tables were cool i guess; half cushion couch and half chair, just way to close to both tables on either side of us.
To start off, soon as the waiter approached us, we skipped the appetizers and went straight for the entrees. My friend ordered a Rib Eye Steak with Mash Potatoes. I ordered my usual Porterhouse for 2, also with Mash Potatoes. I dont know about my friends steak, but my porterhouse sure was good; one of the best ive had. It wasnt too charred and the steak juice it came with gave it an awesome flavor. It definately wasnt big enough for 2 men; maybe 1 skinny guy and his girlfriend who doesnt eat much. As usual, the waiter didnt think i could finish it on my own, so i had to prove him wrong. The mash potatoes came well portioned, and you could really taste the butter in it.
For dessert, my friend ordered a Pecan Pie, which came with some vanilla ice cream. My chocolate mousee cake came with some whipped cream on the side. I didnt care for it much; it didnt taste like dark chocolate but it didnt taste like milk chocolate either. It had a weird taste somewhere in between which i didnt enjoy.
Overall, the place is beautiful and everyone is well dressed. I just feel like our waiter wasnt attentive at all. Not only did he barely come to check up on us, but he was nowhere to be seen. I was stuck with the same glass of soda all night. I understand it was a busy Saturday night, but thats no excuse for a place of such caliber. Nevertheless, its a great place for a date if youre really trying to impress someone. I shouldnt have to say this, but be ready to spend some money. So make sure the person you invite is more than special

For our appetizer we enjoyed cocktail shrimp and cocktails. The service was fast and impeccable, from the coat check to the end everything was spot on. The cocktail shrimp was fresh and nicely presented.
Our main course was the Rib Eye Steak cooked slightly under medium with asparagus and mashed potatoes. Simply one of the top five steaks we have ever had.
Dessert was the Hot Fudge Sundae and it impressed as highly as everything else.
Finished dinner with espresso and was completely satisfied.
Ticket price was certainly high, but well worth it.

This is by far the most delicious, juiciest steak I’ve ever had. And I’m not even a huge steak person! But this has made me a fan. Service is spectacular and I feel treated like a queen hers. The manager, waiter, everyone is so sweet. The ambiance is spacious and warm. Started with the seafood platter. Everything was so fresh. I’m from California so I’m spoiled with good seafood but the seafood platter here was amazing. Then we had the steak for two. Melts in your mouth. The wedge salad is super delicious too. Everything is perfectly cooked.
My dad’s a huge steak fan and I kept snapping him pics of my plate. I’m definitely taking him here next time he visits New York.
Thank you to the fantastic people at Benjamin for making this a memorable, special night!
Xoxo

Infelizmente não fomos bem recebidos. Marcamos via concierge a comemoração do aniversário da minha filha um dia antes da data proposta e confirmamos a reserva com concierge no dia do jantar. Ao chegarmos no local, que por sinal estava lotado, nossa a reserva tinha sido cancelada e a atendente não soube explicar o porque. Fica aqui registrada minha insatisfação neste dia que seria especial para minha família, pois além de ser o seu aniversário era noite de Natal .
Silva e família.

Food is average steakhouse standard but service is mediocore. The waiter wouldn’t wait till we finish our appetiser and he took away the plate with unfinished food on it. After the main course, the waiter wouldn’t let us know what the dessert options are and left us sitting there waiting for a long time.
For its reputation I would expect much better derive than tonight.

Edit (²⁄₂₀₁₆): I went back to Benjamin’s this year and was truly disappointed by how crowded and hectic it was. It used to be such a quaint, quiet place. Now (at dinner time anyway), it was like being in an over-​popularized lounge (ugh)…It even felt… touristy –_-…It was impossible to get around with so many people waiting. We have a reservation and still had to wait 30minutes and spent nearly $ 100 at the bar (each drink was ~$ 15 – 20) while we waited. I won’t be going back here. Very sad because this used to be my favorite steakhouse but I can’t take the madhouse ambience… just not worth it.
Old: I closed my other Unilocal account so my rave review for Benjamin’s sadly got deleted :(. I’ve been to all those steakhouses, including Luger’s, and they just aren’t as good as Benjamin’s in food and service quality. I went here for my birthday a few years and really need to revisit the place, because I dream and drool thinking about the delicious steak. This would be my last meal on earth for sure. Gotta go here for my birthday in 2016 woot :).

Had what could be the best Rib Eye Steak (Pittsburgh Medium) ever! Surf and Turf just as delicious. Friends had a Veal Chop that was finger lickin good. The 3 lb shelled whole lobster was like BUTTA! Fine Restaurant…

While this is an expensive option for dinner, even for NYC, it does hit most of the marks for a very good dinner. If high end steakhouse is on your radar this is well worth considerations.
Be ready to wait, because somebody let the cat out of the bag here. Us and all of the people we meet at the more than 100% capacity standing room only bar had reservations but nobody was sat for a minimum of 30 + past res time. Typical good place– friday night– overbooking by staff, this would be a negative but i’ve seen it happen a lot so no real points to take away here.
The drinks were good, the wine and dirty martini very good, the 1 wine choice in the night that was sour was replaced without question and charge. The menu choices even offer several for 2 options, and several for 4 options, including salads, Apps, and steak choices.
The table was served by 4 different wait staff, none of who offered to review the cuts, the specials, preparation or wine options. Don’t ask for suggestions, but do ask questions — the only way to learn about the menu was to ask.
My FM was 10 Oz, butterflied to near perfection, and her ribeye was not. They missed the mark here — requested medium rare, and showed up medium.
The sides were some of the most expensive than almost any other side dish I have had even @ a steakhouse, and I have been to a fair number, but they were good. The NY Style cheesecake was fresh but needed to be more firm, it was a little softer than NY style should be, but fresh and served with a fresh side of cream. A larger crust and more fruit would be nice.
A good choice, be prepared to wait and to pay top dollar, but this is NYC and it is Steak, good steak and good food and friendly people. Worth a try for sure.

**Not a true 4 stars, would give 3.5 stars**
Had high expectations about this place but… it fell a little short. The place is really cramped, from the entrance, to the bar, to the dining area. I didn’t even get a chance to take a look at the décor because it was so busy, hectic, tight, and dark. Now to the food.
Bacon — freaking huge for 1 person. 1 serving is one piece, which is more than enough.
Porterhouse — tasty and cooked properly (medium rare).
Creamed spinach — good but I’ve had better
Potatoes — definitely had better, cut up too small
Asparagus — cooked well
Manhattan cocktail — okay, I’ve definitely had better.
Service was okay, but appetizers took at least 30 minutes to come out. And, most disappointing and maybe not fair but it is one of my pet peeves, they had fake candles… why…it is a classy establishment that costs $ 100+ per person, you should be able to get some real candles.
Honestly, the place was okay. The place is mostly all corporate and everything just seemed cramped. Food and service were okay, but nothing special.

Great steak house! They offer a very diverse menu and a full-​page lunch menu. My colleagues and I ordered four kinds of steak burgers and they all look really good. I ordered Benjamin burger and the burger size is sumptuous for me! Vegetables are a few and fries are okay-​I don’t like thick fries… But I do enjoy the burger!

The décor is pretty ordinary even with the string of Christmas lights on the top balcony, large fireplace, and high ceiling of the place. It has a classic, simple feeling, though not that warm or cozy — in fact the space is small and feels almost cramped.
The Canadian bacon was very tasty, though it didn’t come out sizzling hot (more warm) I still enjoyed the bacon greasy and fat of the bacon coating my mouth. I loved the taste and chewiness of the bacon meat with it’s edges of easily swallowed fat. (It is much like Peter Luger’s bacon.)
The steak for two came out on a hot plate, cut and ready to serve with a pool of bubbling butter at the end of it. It looked like a decent sized t-bone…but the steak really tasted so-​so. The medium cooked steak was well-​cooked on the outside, black and almost charred. The inside pink and some parts almost raw — I tried to cook the raw parts in the butter a little longer.
The steak was rather tough to chew and swallow, except for the really soft raw parts. It wasn’t dry but the strange consistency of overcooked mixed with undercooked was rather odd.
(Also, the bread basket at the beginning of the meal was ordinary, some soft bread rolls, hard breadsticks and sesame crackers. I also didn’t like the taste of the butter.)
The service was normal, not super attentive but not rude either.
I know lots of celebrities have been here (as evidenced by the numerous celebrity photos on the walls) but I don’t have a desire to come back.

I took my boyfriend here for his birthday last year, and I’m thinking of bringing him here again this year.
This place is beautiful. We were lucky enough to be seated directly in front of the fire place which is gorgeous and gave us some beautiful photographs. The service is outstanding. The servers were very friendly, and really seemed to understand what we were looking for and made some excellent suggestions.
The steaks were AMAZING, and have left us thinking about them since we left. Now every time we have steak we compare it to the ones we had at Benjamin’s Steak House and nothing comes close unfortunately. Definately our all time favorite steak house.
The restaurant is a bit on the expensive side, but if you’re looking for great food, or are celebrating a special occasion this is the place to go. We loved it and cannot wait to go back.

Solid, old style, all-​American steak house. Expensive as heck, but what do you expect? You’re in Newww Yawk baby! And the food is all that and a piece of toast.
Food: I started with six oysters on the half shell (about $ 19), and they were really good, BUT I have to admit that the oysters at Epic Steak (in my hometown San Fran) are far better, and that’s why this did not get 5 stars, sorry, I can’t help comparing. Then I shared the porterhouse for three, ordered medium rare (about $ 50 per person). That was the money shot. It. Was. Perfect. Our group ordered a dessert smörgåsbord, I tried the tiramisu and it was Milanese good.
Service: It was impeccable, we had a horde of white jacketed servers who appeared when needed, and disappeared when not.
Ambiance: Old style, wood paneled ambiance. Great for business, but I would bring my Boo here for a date too.

one of my go — to steak houses. Good for a client lunch /​dinner or a boys night out.
the service is friendly, knowledgeable and the food is up there with any of the steakhouses in NYC. looking forward to my next visit!

I think Unilocal should add a button for «was this review stupid?» Some real knuckle draggers in here.
Met up with a college buddy and he suggested this place. Great atmosphere, old style NYC steakhouse. The staff greater me warmly and got me a spot at the bar while I waited. Plenty of suits here but I would still feel OK bringing a date.
So off to the food… We started with some bluepoints. They were great although I’m still partial to Island Creek. For our main, we both went with the rib eye with asparagus on the side. I generally try to avoid lots of beef but crushed this thing. Well aged, perfectly prepared and rested before it hit the table. These people have honed their craft.
Quality isn’t cheap but cheap isn’t quality. This place was amazing!

Great place.
Like Peter Luger with better service and credit card acceptance.
Also great with kids, the kid burger for my boy was the best I ever tasted !

Der perfekte Anend beginnt im Benjamins! Perfektes Fleisch, gute Auswahl und faire Preise. Die Weinliste lässt sich sehen, ist aber mit gutem Wein ab 28 $ auch für alle. Super Bedienung, Stimmung und Ambiente.

Typische eingerichtetes Steakhouse in der Nähe der Gran Central!
Sehr flinke nette Kellner!
Ich bestellte als Vorspeise einen Cesarsalat der zwar frisch aber von der Sauce zu Zitronenlastig war! Als Hauptgericht Porterhousesteak (ab zwei Personen) war perfekt gegrillt! Die Beilagen Onion Rings, Fritten, Spinat waren ok aber nicht herausragend.