Dr. Catherine Boswell PHD Psychologist

The outdoor area is a good place for drinks, but as good as the food is, I have to pass on the dining room. It is so loud you can't hear yourself think. I guess some people like that, because they had a crowd, but not me and I'm in my late twenties. Did they make it this loud on purpose? I don't get it. Other than that, no complaints, but I won't dine there again. Pros: The food Cons: LOUD!!!!! more

Benjy's is without a doubt the best Sunday brunch in town. They consistantly offer great creative dishes with an awesome waitstaff to ensure you have a great time. Just recently a second location was opened in The Heights on Washington. Pros: Great Menu! more

We made a reservation for a bday dinner @ 8.30 and started at 7 with drinks in the terrace. We nicely asked the hostess if there were any tables available before our reservation time and the answer was ""come back at 8.30!"", ok .... so finally at 8.30 we come down and after 20 mins we asked if our table was ready just to receive the following comments by the same hostess ""what? do you want me to sit you on top of people?"" ""do you want something for free or what?"" EXCUSE ME??!!! .... those are highly innapropriate comments from a hostess, especially when her only responsibility is to smile and sit people. I am definitely recommending this Benjy's to all the people I know for drinks but that's it, if you want to be mistreated by a hostess, this is definitely your place for dinner .... no difference between this and the hostess at chillis or some place like that .... Pros: Great terrace for happy hour Cons: Worst Hostess for Dinner more

I've been here a couple of time love the atmosphere and place. good food try it out. service is great also more

So let me start by saying .... I make it a point to try every new restaurant that opens up in town within their first couple of months. Benjys is the only one that never dissappoints me. My partner and I decided to eat their again this past Thursday night after our salsa dancing class. We had worked up quite an appetite and were ready to indulge. We decided to start off with 2 delicious cosmo's, theirs are the best, but our waiter told us about some of the new signature cocktails, so I had the Citrus Blossom and Steve had the Texas Tini. OMG!!! these cocktails were to die for, mine(Citrus Blossom) was fresh grapefruit juice, Elderflower Liqueur and Vodka with a candied rim & Steve had the Texas Tini which was soooo smooth with delicious, creamy bleu cheese and the best olives I have ever had. We then shared a Calamari appetizer, which I had never had grilled before and it was perfect. I always enjoy their list of great wines and this time, I left it up to our waiter, since the cocktails were so good and we loved it, it was our first time to ever have a ""Tannat"" which was an awesome alternative to our usual cabernet choices. Steve and I shared a Bryan Farms chicken entree with crawfish potatoes, local shrimp and farmers market vegetables. It was more than both of us could eat and it was out of this world. They always seem to find great local vegetables and even local ranchers for their meats. We knew before we arrived we were gonna save room for the famous ""Moms Chocolate Cake"" but before we could even order , the manager had sent already sent us complimentary dessert because she recognized us and knew we were regulars. The Creme Caramel was so good we had to get the recipe, even though Steve and I could never do it like they do. Aside from the fact that this is our favorite restaurant for the food and atmosphere the staff and mgmt is second to none. I cant wait till our next visit, which I'm sure will be soon.\r Pros: Food / Service / Ambiance Cons: No Woodlands Location more

It was nice to see the owner Benjy at the door of his newer location. It's been open for two years now. The fickle, hip lounge crowd has diminished; however, the 30-something foodies still gather here.\r \r Like their original location, they have a lounge on the second floor...watch the stairs. There is a second floor patio where smokers can mingle. I prefer the bar they have downstairs for better customer service.\r \r They serve some inventive drinks and have a decent bar menu for happy hour which is from 4:00 -7:00 PM. I was surprised that the Sliders didn't make me salivate, because they were highly recommended. I preferred the warm pistachio crusted goat cheese cakes and the delicate salmon tartare for $6. \r \r Sunday brunches at their Dunstan location are still worth rolling out of bed to enjoy. Pros: Larger; speciality drinks were good Cons: Washington location has a sullen vibe more

Best Food & Service in Houston.. I keep trying all the top ""new"" hot spots in Houston and none of them come close. \r \r I actually like the fact that Benjy's DOES NOT ALLOW HUGE PARTIES...!! That is great !!!! If you are at a normal place and a party of 12-18 people are next to your table, then you might as well leave. Benjy I applaud you for having such a smart rule, unlike the other writer on another review.\r \r The new location on Washington is outstanding. Just as good as the Village location. Pros: GREAT everything Cons: never a bad meal in 10+ years more

Benjy's use to be our favorite restaurant until the restaurant has a rule not to serve groups of more than 10 even with a reservation. It is really disappointing because now there is one close to my house on washington and i am going to be hard pressed to darken the door of that establishment. more

I absolutely love brunch at Benjy's! They have a wonderful variety from which to choose. I love the salmon and cream cheese omelet, but everyone else usually gets the crunchy French toast. And I can't tell you how amazing the really spicy bloody Mary is in words- you will just have to try it! There are two flavors of Mimosas as well- I think orange and peach- and they can come in a carafe for sharing around the table. This is a must for out of town guests because the food is delicious, the service attentive and the ambiance modern but low-key. Pros: Great food, easy parking, good service Cons: No cons but do make a reservation or be prepared to wait more

After having reservations for a birthday dinner and not honoring them, Benjy's suprised me... they made it right. The manager obviously saw my Citysearch review and called my boyfriend to ask what he could do to make it up to us. The manager was very apologetic and asked us to come back for dinner, on them. We decided to give them a second chance and really enjoyed it... the ahi tuna appetizer was AMAZING! We had a great time and will recommend this restaurant. Thanks for the great customer service, and taking responsibility for your mistake. It speaks volumes about the character of your management and owners! Pros: pretty Cons: prepare to wait, even with reservations during high seasons like holidays more

So I'm back for another review. Benjy's in Rice Village is a jewel within the village. The restaurant is nice and the food is good. I always give in to the crunchy chicken. It is a very nice place to start your evening. The lounge at Benjy's is small so when it gets crowded it is painful but I find that the tone and the people there are usually pleasant. The background music works for the atmosphere and every once in a while they will throw a Tribe Called Quest song in, I even thought I might have heard Common once. I do not think that Benjy's is a destination for your entire evening unless you want a setting where you lounge, talk, and people watch. For those of us who are interested in something a little more upbeat and ""urban"" then, like I said, show up with your group of friends have a few drinks with plans to move to the next venue. All together not a bad place at all . . . I may just go there for happy hour tonight! Pros: Great Jump Off Spot Cons: When crowded it is impossible more

I love, love, love Benjy's! And so does everyone else on Saturday evenings apparently. =) My fiance made reservations here for my birthday and could not get a spot until 8:30 PM even reserving a week in advance. But, once reserved, we were seated immediately upon arrival and the service was impeccable - wine recommendations were excellent, the food was excellent with good portion size. I absolutely love the Asian fusion in their entrees. The ambience is swanky, trendy, and warm. I came here for the first time last year by chance while in the Rice Village and fell in love with their white chocolate creme brulee then, vowing to come back again. The butterscotch bread pudding a la mode was also very delicious. Anyway, I highly recommend Benjy's for anyone looking for a birthday, happy hour, or brunch type restaurant. It can get a little loud when there are a lot of people around, so if you're looking for quiet romantic atmosphere it may be better to go earlier on a weekday. =) Pros: Food, Service, Desserts, Trendy Cons: Can be hard to find parking during rush dinner hour more

Ambience: This is NOT romantic dining! If you are looking for romantic dining, this is not where you want to be. The cafe tables and hardwooden chairs are part of what gives this away.\r \r Then there was the 15 obnoxious patrons who refused to either sit down or go upstairs but instead wished to hover around other guest's tables ""mingling"" with each other like the place was a club on Richmond...\r \r At that point it was so loud I had to ask my wife several times what she was saying to me.\r \r Service: Great, extremely prompt and attentive. No complaints at all.\r \r Food: Great. The Beef Arepas was spicy and hearty. The meat was tender and balanced well with the cheese cake. It was a large portion that we shared. In fact we skipped the salad after this but really enjoyed it.\r \r For the main course my wife had the roasted canadian salmon and I had the boneless short ribs. The salmon was better we thought. The layers of salmon, crostini, and shrimp beurre blanc melded to a rich, creamy flavor on the palette. The short ribs were tender and worked perfectly with the whipped cauliflower and the fried portabello. It was two hearty meals that represented well modern American cuisine.\r \r The prices were great for the fare provided.\r \r Pros: large portions, good prices, easy parking\r \r Cons: ambience more

This was my first place to ever have brunch. So yeah I was a brunch n00b. However I am l33t when it comes to fine foods. My hax0rs and I started off with some very good Mimosas. The food tastes pretty good with a hip presentation. Our brunch was Jumbo lump crab cakes, Poached Egg on Bagel, and Beef Arepas. I was impressed but it could have been better.\r \r The place has terrible parking and it is so crowded and loud. It seemed as though they are understaff for the volume of customers. But overall the place was decent and I would return every once in a while\r Pros: Price Cons: space and noise more

This cafeteria atmosphere place always gets my order wrong, ok, I can overlook that, but then I have to drink a gallon of water an hour after my meal, because it always seems packed with salt, my butt hurts from the uncomfy wood chairs, and it's loud, like a, you guessed it, cafeteria. The lounge would be 7th down the list of places I would like to go for a drink. more

Benjy's might be my favorite place in Houston. The cocktails are great, the wine selection is great, and the food is pretty good. It's does not always compare to similar restaurants in NYC and Chicago, but it's close. The lounge food is fantastic for the price, especially during happy hour, and it has a great ambiance. Expect to spend a 1/2 hour+ past your reservation time in the lounge while you wait for your table downstairs. Service is generally fantastic. more

Benjy's was great. The atmosphere was relaxed but classy and the food was interesting, colorful and delicious yet affordable. I love the fact that Benjy was able to cspture this ambiance without excessive spending on decor or overpriced food. Everyone working seemed to really like their job. You can't go to Benjy's without having a desert! If I lived in H-town I would be a regular. I miss it already and look forward to returning to try something new!\r more

The restaurant has a great enviroment. They serve quality food with great prices. They have great customer service. It is a good family spot. more

What a great cool place! Hip restaurant down stairs - check out the wall paper. \r \r Upon checking at the hostess stand, the manager found out that we were visiting for the first time and sent us a ""welcoming"" appetizer. They were these amazing nut crusted goat cheese medallions with a little raisin salad. What a palate starter!\r \r Our waiter was just fantastic! His recommendations were right on! I ordered the buffalo and my date ordered the special, I think it was halibut. The buffalo was in amazing blue cheese sauce served over grilled aparagus and my date's fish was mushroom crusted, I think. Loved the wine and the food! We were looking for something to do and our waiter recommended that we go to the lounge.\r \r When we arrived at the lounge it packed with a great crowd. Some people were eating, others just drinking, but all looked like they were having a great time. Cool couches and booths all over the place with a fantastic patio that one can smoke! \r \r We nestled into a corner booth and got into a fantastic half bottle of wine and did not leave until about 1 AM! Our cocktail server told us that last night Sean Penn sat at our exact table! \r \r Talk about your one stop shop for the going out experience! more

I had the tofu, and the wife had the steak. Both were pretty bad. Both were too expensive. I don't understand why people seem to enjoy this. I think it's more geography than anything. The best way to describe the client base, from what I observed, would be ""those people""--youngish people who drive 3-series BMWs, chubby, tan women with bleached hair in expensive dresses that don't fit them right. Etc. Maybe the silver spoon in their mouths changes the way they taste. But my guess is they enjoy the food because they're drunk. Whatever the case, I don't plan to return for another $75 sub-par meal. more