Ben Benson's Steak House

The Scene – A happy-hour Pamplona. When the quittin' bell rings along 6th Avenue, junior execs spill out of glass towers and herd to the bar of this raucous and masculine steakhouse. The assorted dining rooms have an urban hunting-lodge motif, adorned with mounted bronzed buffaloes, lions, bears and the like. Around 8pm, there is such a din that you'll need a megaphone to converse. – – The Food – Huge steaks, well aged and cooked to a turn, rival those of the city's more famous meateries. The T-bone is exceptionally tender and flavorful, as are the broiled veal chop,…

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User Reviews (72)

ambiance	100.0% positive	“Great meat, good service, and I enjoyed the atmosphere.” “Good atmosphere for steak and glass of red wine after a long day at work.” “Overall, the place is not bad for groups, but if you want value and a more romantic setting, don't think about coming here.” “food is superb, ambience perfect, comfy, cozy, safe” “As good as the food may be the atmosphere is "nonchalant” “Always feel at home excellentservice, friendly atmosphere, and outstanding steaks.” “Their service is great and ambiance is perfect for a romantic meal!” “liked the decor as well.” “consider the atmosphere to be fun for the lack of a better word.”
dessert	90.0% positive	“From the delicious meats to the seafood to the desserts, they never disappoint.” “Not to mention, their crab cakes truly are as good as everyone leads you to believe.” “Great steaks, sides(creamed spinach, potatoes, etc.) and delicious desserts.” “The mashed potatoes with caramelized onions and the cream and herbed wild mushrooms were excellent compliments to the Porterhouse.” “When I pulled a waiter aside to tell him it was my girlfriend's b-day, he almost ruined it by talking so loud that she could hear, and told me to let him know before I order desert, which I obviously couldn't do, because it would have made it obvious!” “What can I say except delicious steak, sides and desserts.” “The salad, steak sauce and especially the cheesecake were without a doubt the best i've ever had.” “The steaks are good and the desserts are big but leave something to be desired.” “The steak sauce was so good, that i practically smothered my steak in it (we even purchased a bottle for home) the cheesecake was so good, i was licking my fingers after i was done it was so tasty.” “The cheescake is dry, pound cake bland, and bread pudding chewy.”
drinks	100.0% positive	“Nice bar at entrance.” “The wine list was very good and the bar area was a cool place to hang before we sat down for our great meal.” “Their bread basket was huge and great to have with a glass of wine before your beef arrives.” “Its amazing how Ben Bensons makes us happy with great steak, wine and friendly service.” “Good atmosphere for steak and glass of red wine after a long day at work.”
food quality	86.92000389099121% positive	“As for the food I ate, the Maryland Crab Cake was delicious, and the Prime Rib Steak was a bit tough on the outside but still tasty.” “The wine list was very good and the bar area was a cool place to hang before we sat down for our great meal.” “The cheescake is dry, pound cake bland, and bread pudding chewy.” “Their service is great and ambiance is perfect for a romantic meal!” “The food was terrible: cold steak ,burnt on outside and on a COLD plate.” “The steaks were really good as were the sides.” “The steak sauce was so good, that i practically smothered my steak in it (we even purchased a bottle for home) the cheesecake was so good, i was licking my fingers after i was done it was so tasty.” “We politely tried to express our dissatisfaction to the manager suggesting that perhaps they have an area for families vs. people who would like to enjoy their meal w/o listening to screaming and he said "what do you want me to do, tell people they can't ” “Caesar salad was also awesome, as was the bread they serve.” “Not much else to say really, ok, the side dishes are very good too(hash browns & creamed spinach).” “As good as the food may be the atmosphere is "nonchalant” “What a great meal.” “Portions were excellent, however, the food was bland.” “Ben Benson's serves up amazing food and they do it quickly.” “Salad was fresh, steaks were huge, juicy, and cooked to perfection.” “At least the mashed potato was warm, not hot, but warm.” “The tomato soup was superb.” “From the delicious meats to the seafood to the desserts, they never disappoint.” “As always, the steaks here are amazing and grilled perfectly to your preference.” “Great meal, top to bottom” “Today I had a vegetarian in my lunch group and even she enjoyed here veggie dish.” “Not to mention, their crab cakes truly are as good as everyone leads you to believe.” “The Portabella sandwhich and Grilled Rib Eye are also delicious choices at this fine establishment.” “I'm a big meat lover and have been to many steak houses but this still has to be my favorite place to eat.” “Bread was cold; steaks were luke warm (sitting due to inattention of wait staff) comment from waiter was "I did not cook it” “The steaks are good and the desserts are big but leave something to be desired.” “An ideal place for a night of brilliant food but dare I say again.” “Good atmosphere for steak and glass of red wine after a long day at work.” “The food was good, but not that special, and the waiter was simply annoying.” “The green beans and mashed potatoes were outstanding.” “Great cuts of meat, cooked perfectly, every time.” “The food is simply the best and the service superb.” “The food is excellent along with the service.” “Great meat, good service, and I enjoyed the atmosphere.” “food is superb, ambience perfect, comfy, cozy, safe” “Great steaks, sides(creamed spinach, potatoes, etc.) and delicious desserts.” “Delicious fresh crab cocktail, which was recommended by the waiter.” “Their bread basket was huge and great to have with a glass of wine before your beef arrives.” “What can I say except delicious steak, sides and desserts.” “Wonderful rib steak, cooked perfectly, but does it have to be big enough for a family of 4?” “The vegetable dish (a pile of canned mushrooms) was cold also.” “The food was flat out amazing.” “The salad, steak sauce and especially the cheesecake were without a doubt the best i've ever had.” “The mashed potatoes with caramelized onions and the cream and herbed wild mushrooms were excellent compliments to the Porterhouse.” “recommend the garlic mashed potatoes and steak fries.” “Appetizers and salad were good, but my bone-in sirloin and my wife's skirt steak where as tough as a longshoreman.” “We were seated promptly, service was good and not over the top, and the steaks and sides were outstanding.” “went here for the first time last night, and the steak was superb.” “The French Onion Soup was delicious, as well as the Goat Cheese Salad.” “hands down the best skirt steak i have ever eaten, and the mashed potatoes w/horseradish are also superb.” “The steaks are simply fantastic, meaty, juicy and cooked perfectly every time.” “Thank goodness I didn't order side dishes!” “We started with the most delicious Pea Soup.” “The quality of both the food and service was outstanding.” “I've been to Ben Benson's many times over the years and the food is always fantastic.” “Never had a bad meal.” “Always feel at home excellentservice, friendly atmosphere, and outstanding steaks.” “The food was mediocre at best.” “Ben Bensons has the best steaks in New York.” “Its amazing how Ben Bensons makes us happy with great steak, wine and friendly service.” “These people are living on a reputation of good food and good service that died many years ago.” “The salads were tasty, but that was about the only good thing I can say about the food.” “love steak and found the steak to be on the average side.” “The steaks were delicious and perfectly cooked.” “Creamed spinach was tasty, but the hashbrowns were a greasy mess.”
menu variety	100.0% positive	“The Portabella sandwhich and Grilled Rib Eye are also delicious choices at this fine establishment.”
overall	100.0% positive	“The wine list was very good and the bar area was a cool place to hang before we sat down for our great meal.” “couple that with some of the best service i've had at a restaurant, and you have a place that will be seeing us again.”
service	95.32999992370605% positive	“The service was great.” “Always feel at home excellentservice, friendly atmosphere, and outstanding steaks.” “The food was good, but not that special, and the waiter was simply annoying.” “He said they have always had great service.” “couple that with some of the best service i've had at a restaurant, and you have a place that will be seeing us again.” “We politely tried to express our dissatisfaction to the manager suggesting that perhaps they have an area for families vs. people who would like to enjoy their meal w/o listening to screaming and he said "what do you want me to do, tell people they can't ” “This time was even more special when our waiter, Mario # 2 and the entire staff sang Happy Birthday to my wife.” “Their service is great and ambiance is perfect for a romantic meal!” “The food is simply the best and the service superb.” “These people are living on a reputation of good food and good service that died many years ago.” “Wait service was Excellent!” “Bread was cold; steaks were luke warm (sitting due to inattention of wait staff) comment from waiter was "I did not cook it” “When I pulled a waiter aside to tell him it was my girlfriend's b-day, he almost ruined it by talking so loud that she could hear, and told me to let him know before I order desert, which I obviously couldn't do, because it would have made it obvious!” “would recommend Ben Benson's Steakhouse to all that love to eat and feel at home...2 waiters to every table.” “Everthng tasted great and the service was excellent.” “Great service!” “The service was great so if some say it isn't its because they must have had no respect for the server.” “We were seated promptly, service was good and not over the top, and the steaks and sides were outstanding.” “Great meat, good service, and I enjoyed the atmosphere.” “The waitstaff is friendly, courteous, and not stuck-up.” “Delicious fresh crab cocktail, which was recommended by the waiter.” “Its amazing how Ben Bensons makes us happy with great steak, wine and friendly service.” “The food is excellent along with the service.” “The quality of both the food and service was outstanding.” “The waitstaff was very friendly and knowledgable.”
value	60.0% positive	“realize it is costly, and I am not wealthy by anyones standards, but its worth the big bucks; even if it costs more one day ill save up to go.” “Keep in mind that this is a very expensive restaurant that was not worth 1/2 the price.” “have a huge bias writing this review, this has been my fav resturaunt for years now.” “had been to Ben Bensons before, and paid full price, this had to be too good to be true, and IT WAS!” “Their bread basket was huge and great to have with a glass of wine before your beef arrives.” “Overall, the place is not bad for groups, but if you want value and a more romantic setting, don't think about coming here.” “Glad I didn't pay full price.” “Mind you, it was after 9pm at an expensive restaurant.” “Salad was fresh, steaks were huge, juicy, and cooked to perfection.” “We dont usually frequent very expensive restaurants so this was supposed to be a treat for us.”
wait time	100.0% positive	“Good atmosphere for steak and glass of red wine after a long day at work.”

10/12/11

Best Steak NYC

by CTNY1228

Came here as a recommendation from a good friend of mine, now I can't stop thinking about! I ordered the shrimp cocktail to start, delicious with an amazing cocktail sauce! As an entree I had the Prime Rib, man was it good! Cooked to perfection with au jus on the side to dip my french fries in, MmMmMm!!! For dessert, key lime pie, one of the best I've ever tasted!

As for our waiter, he was great too! Very polite, never rushed us, & delightfully charismatic.

All in all, this is a great place, with wonderful food & wonderful people. We even got to meet Ben Benson himself!

P.S You can even by the beautiful signature steak knives & amazing steak sauce, right there in the restaurant!

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07/18/11

Nondescript but wasn't terrible

by TardyKat

Came here testing out the Restaurant Week menu. We nearly walked passed it, that's how low-key the outside was. It was a similar scene in doors--nondescript.

I ordered the soup of the day (lentils), English cut prime rib with mashed potatoes and ice cream (vanilla). My friend ordered the Caesar salad, sliced filet mignon with portobello mushrooms and mashed potatoes and the cheesecake.

An odd thing we noticed was all the wait staff and the majority of the clientele were male. I guess steakhouses are the domains of men.

Horseradish was provided but the meat was flavorful, no garnish necessary. Was it the best I've had, no. But it wasn't the worst. Pickled vegetables that came with the bread for the table was a nice touch.

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06/19/11

Nothing Special Less Than Average!

by HADS

My wife and I have been wanting to try Ben Benson's for some time now. So we decided to take a ride into the city once and for all.

We started with the caesar salad which was very leafy (Bright Green Ends of the Romaine Lettuce usually discarded by most chefs) and hardly any dressing on it with bagged croutons costing $12.95. Then we had the shrimp cocktail which seemed to have been previously frozen and it wasn't properly cleaned 2 of the 4 shrimp still had parts of the veins attached (pretty sad excuse for a shrimp cocktail in a prime steakhouse)!

Next was the signature dish in any steakhouse the porterhouse for two. It was served lukewarm to downright cold. It was one of the smaller steak for two I have ever seen in a prime steakhouse and probably the most expensive at $99. The steak was cooked okay we like it medium rare but again it was cold! The side dishes we had were creamed spinich which had to much garlic and french fries which were actually the highlight of the meal. Just about all of the food came to the table either barely warm to cold! For almost $300 with tip included for 2 people without dessert, I expected a lot better!

All in all the staff was friendly and inviting but we wouldn't return to Ben Benson's there are so many better steakhouses in the city that this one rates pretty much at the bottom of the list. The whole food experience just left us feeling blah and unsatisfied. Reminds me of a place that was once fantastic but now is slipping due to the economy! They seem to be buying inferior products/supplies and still selling them at high end luxury prices!

We prefer Peter Luger's which is the benchmark for any steakhouse and really has nothing to worry about if they are compared to Ben Benson's!

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01/16/11

They were tasty....

by HeatherBree2011

I love what I got when I came here with a friend of mine Nicholas. He had brought me here on a late Friday night and we had always wanted to talk to each other but we would never make a move. So last weekend he finally did and we came out and had a fun night and the Service here was grand and the night just got better.

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01/08/11

5-star prices, 1-star food

by vze2tznk

Apparently, I had read the wrong reviews before deciding to have dinner at this particular restaurant. Even had one friend tell me they liked it. I can honestly state, without equivocation, or fear of contradiction, it was the worst meal I've ever had in a supposedly upscale Manhattan restaurant in my life.

The martini and the bread and butter before dinner were the high points of the meal. I ordered my steak, a sirloin, medium rare. What I got was a huge hunk of meat burned on the outside (to the point where I tasted primarily charcoal) and extra rare even RAW on the inside. I sent it back (something I never do). It returned only SLIGHTLY improved.

But more than that, the entire meal was tasteless. Creamed spinach, usually a rather decadent indulgence, was more than just boring, it was unpleasant. Likewise the asparagus. If I didn't know better by virtue of the visual evidence, I would've expected it was heated straw I was eating.

I even went so far as to put steak sauce on my steak and I NEVER put any type of flavoring on steak. A great steak doesn't need help. Well this wasn't a great steak. It needed more help than there is in this universe. Even the bloody STEAK SAUCE was fairly tasteless. NEVER again.

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Ben Benson's Steak House

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10/12/11

Best Steak NYC

by CTNY1228

07/18/11

Nondescript but wasn't terrible

by TardyKat

06/19/11

Nothing Special Less Than Average!

by HADS

01/16/11

They were tasty....

by HeatherBree2011

01/08/11

5-star prices, 1-star food

by vze2tznk

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