Benchmark Restaurant

Beautiful presentation
The service was excellent
Except the confit duck is too salty
Everything else is good

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 4

Service: 5

Edit jan. 31, 2025:
Returned with additional friends. Our experience was the same as below. Consistently great results.
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Jan. 23, 2025:
Servers were friendly and took time to explain the process and the food. Chairs were comfortable, tables set properly with proper cloth napkins. The noise level was very low and we could actually have a conversation almost at a whisper. The food was prepared expertly with good flavours. Overall excellent value.
Even the bathrooms were immaculate.
Definitely will be a repeat visit in the future.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Duck Confit

My friend treated me to lunch yesterday at Benchmark and what a delightful treat it was! Jana was our waitress and she was fantastic. She was friendly, knowledgeable and extremely efficient. The food was delicious and the plating and presentation was beautiful. The atmosphere was warm and welcoming. A truly great experience from beginning to end. I would highly recommend it to anyone who is lucky enough to get a reservation. It was a perfect dining experience and I will return often.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

A wonderful culinary experience! Highly recommend.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Excellent experience- great food and service!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Our group of nine ladies had an amazing experience. We were delighted by the courtesy and attentiveness of the staff. They were knowledgeable fast and efficient. The food was superb. The presentation perfect. Will definitely be back again.

This was absolutely one of the best dining expereiences that I have had at a restaurant. The atmosphere was perfect. The staff was exceptional and the food was beautifully presented and was so delicious. Bravo to everyone at Benchmark.

Our experience was “ perfection”! The menu choices were so interesting, the presentation of each selection was just beautiful and the quality of everything was fabulous! In addition, the service was exemplary, very efficient and done with a smile! Thank you!

Benchmark is part of the culinary arts program at Niagara College. This gives rise to some unique practices such as no tipping and there are 2 servers, one the trainer and the other the trainee. At this time of year the restaurant is open only for lunch from Wednesday to Friday. The menu consists only of a three courses, with no ala carte, for a set price of $45. The menu is impressive. Both my wife and I commented on the fact that each course had many attractive offerings making choosing what to order difficult. The execution of the courses was competent, although not as artistic as what one would find at Treadwells in NOTL or at the Vineland Estate Winery Restaurant. All the wines came from the winery program at the College and were available by the glass or by the bottle. The service at times was spotty. For example, my wife ordered the cheese course for dessert but the server did not explain what the 3 cheeses were and this information had not been set out on the menu. The room has great expanses of glass and is very attractive. However, the hardness of the surfaces meant that the noise level got quite high. It has been years since we have been to this restaurant even though we live only 15 minutes away but we will definitely make it a regular occurrence in the future. From a quality/price perspective this is a great choice for those not wanting to break the bank.

Amazing experience! We enjoyed interacting with the host and students and the food was incredible! It was the first day for the new fall menu so it was evident that everyone was working together to become familiar with the presentation and description to guests. The food rivalled that which we have enjoyed at fine dining restaurants and portions were very generous. The chowder was my favourite dish that we tried but the beef and fried chicken entrees were also delicious. We will return next time we are in the area.

A wonderful lunch! I brought 2 Friends for a first time visit and they were very impressed. We had a wonderful 3 course meal each trying something different and shareable. Our servers were so attentive and professional. As a former faculty member with Niagara College I was proud to showcase the venue and wonderful menu and service. I will not hesitate to keep returning with friends and family. Thank you to all for a beautiful experience.

Tourists to Niagara- this is the best hidden gem. Outstanding food. Presentation is impeccable. Flavours amazing and great value. No tipping as these are culinary students. Fantastic servers. What an amazing experience. We are outside. The grounds are beautifully maintained by the horticultural students. Such a great experience. We had a gift card that was at least 12 years old. They have a new system and thus honoured whatever value we said was on the card. Luckily I remembered that it had been originally for $200 but that we had a meal before Covid, so I anticipated there was only $64 remaining. Now that is service! Took me at face value.

Unexpectedly wonderful ! Our food was beautifully presented, delicious and of the correct temperature. Our server, Ifeyinwa, was friendly, helpful, super smiley, and timed our meal well. The quality of the food, the price and the uniqueness of the dishes was outstanding. What a hidden gem !

Always come here when we visit the Niagara Falls area. The food is delicious and the service is wonderful. They offer a three course lunch special that is an excellent value. As a restaurant run and staffed by students in the culinary and hospitality program, it provides an opportunity for a high end meal at a reasonable price. A great job once again.

Our hostess Janaprya was excellent. Friendly, informative and she catered to our every need. It's clear that she enjoys her chosen field and is a shining example of a Niagara college student. The mocktail created by Arshdeep was amazing. He came to our table to explain how he created it. Well done and thank you Arshdeep. Overall, Niagara culinary college is an amazing experience . All of the students are helpful and professional. The setting is outstanding and the general ambiance of the restaurant makes it a very pleasant experience.