The Benjamin Hollywood

The Benjamin - A Hollywood GemCrab BeignetsYuzu Kosho Aioli, Dill VinegarA fantastic way to start the meal--light, crispy, and packed with fresh crab. The flavors reminded me of fried bacalao fritters, with the caviar adding a luxurious touch.The Benjamin BurgerNew School American, Seared Onion, Pickles, Hickory Sauce, FriesEasily one of the best burgers I've had. Juicy, flavorful, and perfectly balanced with the soft bun and seared onions. If you're here, you must try this.Braised Short RibDashi Parsnip Purée, Crispy Brussels Chips, Black Garlic ShoyuVisually impressive, but the flavor didn't quite match the burger's punch. The purée was creamy and well-executed, but the meat leaned on the fatty side. I prefer a short rib that melts off the bone--this one didn't hit that mark.Cookies & CreamBrown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie, House WhipAbsolutely phenomenal. The cookie was gooey in the center, crisp on the edges, and paired perfectly with the light, airy whip. An indulgent must-order.Spicy Strawberry MargaritaEl Tesoro Blanco Tequila, Strawberry Oleo, Shiso, Lime, Serrano PepperOrdered mine "skinny" with no sweetener, and the bartender nailed it--perfectly tart, refreshing, and with just the right amount of heat.The restaurant itself is gorgeous, exuding Hollywood glam with a stylish bar and a chic, lively crowd. The elevated booths wrapping around the space add to the ambiance. Service was top-tier--attentive, accommodating, and polished from the security at the door to the bar staff. We snagged last-minute seats at the bar and were seated immediately.Loved everything about The Benjamin--I'll definitely be back.

A lot of LA restaurants with a chic interior and a popular buzz can come off as unapproachable or snobby (i.e. Laurel Hardware), but the Benjamin is not such a restaurant. Staff was extremely friendly, welcoming, and attentive without hovering (shoutout to the manager Terry who checked in at the end of our meal to ensure we had a good time). The burger, martinis, and chocolate chip cookie with whipped cream were amazing. Crab beignets and deviled eggs were good. French fries were average. We sat outside on the patio, which was nice overall but we were flanked by two fires/heaters which was a little distracting. The inside is moody and plush-will sit there next time I visit.

Great exclusive, dark vibes perfect for an intimate date night with amazing service and hot unique meals. Bread is nice and fluffy, not super hot though. I've had better!Burger and fries are amazing!! Comes out hot and perfectly juicy.Orange chicken wings were crispy, sweet and nice flavor!Rachel, one of the waitresses is the best! Very friendly and easy to speak to. The Benjamin feels cozy, but upscale.

Easily one of the best new restaurants that opened in 2024, The Benjamin. If you're from LA and enjoy fine dining then you know Ben Hundreds would not disappoint when he announced that he was opening a restaurant. If you haven't gone, make your reservation now.The Benjamin is located on the corner of Melrose and Formosa, they offer valet parking so you don't have to spend time trying to find an open meter. If you do not have a reservation, they do take walk-ins assuming there's an open chair or two at the bar.For cocktails, you cannot go wrong with either the Pornstar Martini (vodka, champagne, passionfruit) or Ben's Martini served with house-made chips. As for food, The Benjamin Burger is mandatory because you need a break from a typical smashburger. If you're not into burgers, the Wagyu New York is both tender and juicy.Although this restaurant is fairly new, you can expect high quality when it comes to their dishes and the service provided. What makes The Benjamin standout is that it really is a place to meet up with old friends over a great bite and an even better drink.

The service and ambience was impeccable! Our waitress provided the best recommendations on the menu and also changed our martini glasses frequently to ensure that our drinks stayed chilled. First time ever seeing this and it was much appreciated! Order the porn Star martini and the dirtier martini to start.For food we ordered the hamachi crudo, short rib (seemed to be the special for the night), the burger, twice baked potato, mushrooms, and the carrot cake for desert. Everything was delicious and can't wait to go back and try other offerings on the menu!

Had heard about The Benjamin from some friends and saw some pictures of the food and decided we had to give this a try. Off the Resy to ATTEMPT to find a reservation that wasn't either 5PM or 10PM...this took a while. Finally was able to find an 8PM opening and jumped on it!The outside doorman was very pleasant and greeted us as we arrived and lead us in. First impression, the space is very nice and kind of has a speak-easy vibe. Dim lighting with tight spaces where tables were. The hostess took us to our table and they are definitely using every possible inch to get tables in. The first option would have had me sitting in the persons lap next to me so I asked we could switch to another more open area table and they accommodated happily. Next we peruse the menu to see many tasty options though we had already agreed one of us (there are two of us) had to get to burger. The waiter arrived, another pleasant experience to take our order. We grabbed some drinks from the seasonal menu and awaited our food. The drinks were VERY tasty and I would happily enjoy more of them. Our food arrived and while I got the burger she got another dish which was delicious! Apologies I cannot remember what it was called but it was a tasty meat dish with brussel sprouts. Highly recommend both the burger and meat dish. Long story short, this is a very nice date spot that serves up a feeling of old Hollywood speak easy with modern flavors that definitely worth a second visit. A word of caution, your bill can EASILY creep up there with two drink, appetizers and entree so be prepared. Also I am a bigger guy (6'8" 300lb) so be aware their tables of two are very tightly packed. So come with a bigger group and get a booth if possible. That's what I will next time.

The food was amazing, but it is a small space. For reservations, you have to make it in advance but it's difficult to change (or get ahold of anyone to change), but still worth it. Highlights:- wedge salad : great dressing, very vignagrettey- hamachi crudo: good crispy quinoa - deviled eggs: seasoned well- burgers: a must - rosemary heirloom chicken : chimichuri sauce enhances the flavors- wagyu New York: good but not as flavorful as our other dishes

Great little restaurant and bar with plenty of bar seating. The servers are very knowledgeable and friendly. We had an early dinner around 6pm and the bar was mostly empty at that time with plenty of seating still available when we left an hour and a half later. So I think walk ins are no problem.The burger is the star on this menu. It's one of the best burgers in town. I would stick to ordering it medium because it still came out incredibly juicy and I've seen some photos on their yelp page of their burger that looks way to rare to me to eat.Their cocktails are perfect and those crab beignets are amazing. Their dessert cookies were good but I wish we would have gone with the carrot cake.The place was more brightly lit than I expected, but still has a lovely design to it.

If you're looking for a spot that delivers both exceptional food and a chic ambiance, this place should be at the top of your list. The deviled eggs might just be the best I've ever had--perfectly creamy, with just the right amount of seasoning to keep you coming back for more.Then there's the chicken liver pâté, a dish that could convert even the most hesitant diners. It's so rich and smooth, it'll leave you wondering why liver hasn't always been a staple on your table.But the real showstopper? The crab beignets. Imagine the juiciest, crispiest crab cake, but transformed into bite-sized perfection. Each ball is packed with flavor and lightly fried to golden-brown excellence.The interior only adds to the experience, with a modern New York vibe that combines art deco details with cozy mood lighting. It's the kind of space that feels both upscale and welcoming--a perfect backdrop for a memorable meal.

Ben Shenassafar's (co-founder of The Hundreds and Family Style Fest) long-awaited restaurant project's doors are finally open. Right in the heart of Hollywood on the esteemed Melrose Avenue, The Benjamin Hollywood is an homage to the halcyon days of the past with a modern angle.The restaurant has a lot character and charm. You can tell when stepping in that everything was thought out from the lighting and fixtures even down to the carpeting and upholstery.The service was nothing short of amazing. They were very attentive and friendly. What blew us away was a server not assigned to us passing by and overhearing us in need of something and immediately coming to our service. Special thank you to Rachel and Alan (I hope I didn't misspell those).Ambiance and service aside, the drinks were pretty good and the food was alright. We ordered the chicken liver pate and the burgers. The prices for the food were also nothing to scoff at considering what they were. I do also think that the allocation of alcohol could be improved as I'd love to choose from a larger selection of potion in such a beautiful place.Overall, The Benjamin Hollywood is a very charming restaurant that provides a great feel of the golden age of Hollywood. If I come back, I probably would just be there to enjoy the drinks. Perhaps next time, I'll also check out the bar they have upstairs.