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    Benbow Inn Restaurant

    3.7 (143 reviews)
    PriceyDiners
    Closed 7:30 am - 10:00 AM, 3:00 pm - 9:00 PM

    Benbow Inn Restaurant Photos

    BENBOW INN RESTAURANT ATMOSPHERE

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    Intimate
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    Upscale
    Quiet

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    Recommended Reviews - Benbow Inn Restaurant

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    Steve D.

    Nestled in the heart of California's Redwood Country, the Benbow Historic Inn (445 Lake Benbow, Garberville, CA 95542) is a timeless gem, just off Highway 101 Exit 636, overlooking the serene Eel River and ancient giants of the Avenue of the Giants. This 1926 Tudor Revival masterpiece evokes old-world elegance amid Humboldt County's misty forests, offering a perfect escape for nature lovers and romantics alike--think stone bridges, manicured lawns, and whispers of celebrity guests like Clark Gable. The on-site restaurant shines with seasonal, farm-to-table cuisine, blending French-American flair with local bounty. From the dinner menu, appetizers like truffle fries tossed in herbs ($17) or mussels in butter-wine sauce with bread ($28) set a tantalizing tone. Soups and salads, such as the classic clam chowder ($12) or organic baby greens with toasted almonds ($15), lead into stellar entrées: pan-seared salmon with tomato vinaigrette ($42), grilled pork tenderloin in coconut BBQ sauce ($42), or the indulgent ribeye with compound butter ($58). Vegetarian options abound, like Benbow Pasta Primavera with fresh veggies and basil pesto ($42). Sides, including sweet potato fries ($10), complement perfectly, while the Wine Spectator Award-winning list boasts over 450 bottles from Humboldt to Napa. Portions are generous, flavors vibrant--our seared salmon was flaky perfection, paired with a crisp local Chardonnay. But the true star? Ted's exceptional customer service. This warm, attentive server embodies Benbow's hospitality, anticipating needs with genuine smiles, expert wine pairings, and seamless coordination. From guiding first-timers through the menu to ensuring a flawless anniversary toast, Ted elevates every moment, making guests feel like cherished insiders. In a world of rushed service, his thoughtful touch--refilling glasses mid-story, sharing Redwood lore--turns a meal into a memory. Don't miss this riverside haven; it's five stars for soul-soothing serenity.

    Brussels salad

    I have been home for a month and can't stop thinking of this Benbow Inn Brussels Salad! Thinking of another trip just to have this meal (I live on the gulf coast)

    Menu
    Teresa B.

    The Benbow Inn Restaurant is a lovely breakfast, lunch and dinner destination in the middle of redwood country. The shrimp scampi is delicious, as is the free table bread with black salt butter. The restaurant also offers a very nice selection of local wine to pair with dinner. We also tried the breakfast menu here and enjoyed the breakfast burrito and California omelette.

    Esther D.

    The menu is limited and it's pretty expensive for what it is but the food was pretty good.

    Paul A.

    Great good at the bar and restaurant (it's the same food). Very affordable for the quality of experience in the dining room. Tasty food.

    One awesome Turkey club with fries and a side of fruit.
    Jerry G.

    I'm currently staying at the BenBow Inn and have been going to brunch each morning. Gotta say that I've been surprised by how much I've enjoyed each meal. Today, I had what was the best Turkey Club I've ever had. Also, The staff is on point and very nice. Going to try dinner tonight and am very excited.

    Benbow breakfast, bacon, eggs, one piece of sourdough toast, and Home fried potatoes.

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    1 year ago

    Food was good but the service was not the best. We wouldn't recommend this place to go.

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    2 years ago

    Food service and bar tender great !! We are back again tonight such a pleasant place the patio area is great

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    Business owner information

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    Benbow K.

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    Benbow K.

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    Page 1 of 4

    Ask the Community - Benbow Inn Restaurant

    Is lunch to go a possibility?

    Yes. They do take-out orders.

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    Avenue Cafe

    Avenue Cafe

    4.3
    (321 reviews)
    11.7 mi
    $$

    Our family visited the Eureka area this week, and on our drive back home, we decided to follow the…read moreAvenue of the Giants. If you have the time and you are in the area, I would not skip it. It's amazing! While we were going through, we decided to stop for lunch and stopped in at the Avenue Cafe. What a great experience! The food was great and the staff made us feel welcomed. When we arrived, we walked in the front door and found it packed. So packed, in fact, that we had to eat at their outside tables. We chose the fully outside table (versus under the cover) and found that it was a mistake...when it started raining on us. Trisha didn't even mind that we resat ourselves in the covered area. We will definitely stop there again even when we don't drive the Ave itself...the food and service was that good!

    A clerk at a gift shop in Redcrest suggested this place for a bite to eat so we stopped here to get…read moresomething to-go. I felt like I needed to eat more greens so opted for the Greek salad. They were out of artichokes but gave us extra Kalamata olives. As I was waiting for my salad, I kinda wished I had gotten a pizza (they looked great! And you could see them being prepared right in front of you) but again, I could use the greens instead of more carbs and cheese so I waited until they brought my order. The interior is on the smaller side but there were also some tables outside. Definitely a place for both tourists and locals as the employees seemed to know a lot of the regulars by name. I ate my salad on the road and it was precisely what my body needed. Light and refreshing and the dressing and olives added a nice zest to the overall flavor. A full size portion was about $18, which is on the pricier side in my opinion but it tasted delicious and I bet the pizzas taste good too. If you find yourself in this area and in need of a bite to eat, definitely stop!

    Photos
    Avenue Cafe
    Meatball sandwich with side salad- impressed with the salad, sandwich was pretty good
    Meatball sandwich with side salad- impressed with the salad, sandwich was pretty good
    Avenue Cafe

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    The Chimney Tree Grill

    The Chimney Tree Grill

    4.2
    (98 reviews)
    8.7 mi
    $

    Extremely yummy shakes and good burgers, they have a wide selection of meals on the menu. The…read moreproperty is stunning at sunset and right by the river. The wait for the food was about 10-15 minutes with a moderate amount of people there. Will be stopping here again when in the redwoods. Would recommend for those out by the river all day looking for a good american meal

    It was lunchtime during our drive on the Avenue of the Giants scenic road, so decided to stop at…read morethe Chimney Tree Grill as our ninth stop (11:07) on day five of our Northern California road trip. My wife, her mom, and I, all like burgers so figured this would be a good place to stop. Our cellular service did not work here, so had to use the info I had downloaded in Google maps to know where to stop. It ended up being pretty good. Hours are daily 11:00 - 20:00, so we arrived just after it opened and were the first ones. There is two areas for outdoor dining: a large set of picnic tables near the chimney tree as well as a patio at the restaurant itself. We soon realized that a cat was roaming the patio, looking for food, so we decided to eat inside, instead. It's a one man operation, with the owner fulfilling multiple roles. After we orders and paid, we got a pager to notify us once the order was ready. Everything is prepared fresh, so it took a bit of time. But because it was served hot, everything tasted good. I love a lot of toppings on my burger, so the self-serve topping bar was great...was able to put as much lettuce and pickles as I wanted. The 1/3 hamburger ($12.99) came with good fries . My wife got her plain cheeseburger 1/4 cheeseburger ($9.99) and enjoyed it. Her mom got chicken strips basket ($13.99), and upgraded her fries to be curly. We all shared each others fries, and the curly fries were really good. Drinks are cans. I didn't want to risk having a milk shake, but from all indications, it sounded good. We ate our meal at the counter. Afterwards, the owner suggested we walk across the parking lot to visit the Living Chimney Tree. It's free to enter, and is hollow enough for a person or two fit in. There are openings on both sides, so easy to take some nice pictures.

    Photos
    8/27/24 FYI. Inside the tree
    8/27/24 FYI. Inside the tree
    8/27/24 FYI. 1/2 of my ribeye sandwich
    8/27/24 FYI. 1/2 of my ribeye sandwich
    Picnic area

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    Picnic area
    101 Grill & BBQ

    101 Grill & BBQ

    4.2
    (82 reviews)
    31.0 mi
    $$

    Best BBQ in Cali. His sauces, they're secret for a reason. The food is…read more Taylor, beautiful waitress w/personality and perfect server. She remembers you Such a lovely vibe, cold tap beer and "MAN FOOD". Girls that like meat, like me I'm carnivore extraordinaire, you and date will not leave hungry. PROMISE! Laytonville. EAT HERE!

    Very mixed feelings on 101 Grill. For the area, it's at least open late so if you're on the road…read moreand need some hot food in a pinch, then I can at least say you'll get that much here. I don't take issue with service or premises, just the food quality...but we also didn't get much interaction so hard to judge. Between some weird culinary choices, a higher asking price and okay taste...it's just alright in my book. 2 Meat BBQ Platter - 3/5 Good BBQ sauce and the brisket was decent, but served almost shredded (??). Tri-tip was ridiculously tough and extremely hard to eat. Chili fries were under-seasoned and not terribly noteworthy. Coleslaw was well balanced, and the garlic bread was nice...but having that be the saving aspect of a bbq platter says a lot. Chicken Alfredo - 2/5 Pasta had a reasonable heft to it, but the chicken was bizarrely shredded and tasted more like a chicken salad in consistency. Alfredo sauce was mid too, so it didn't help that it really clashed with the chicken. Garlic bread was well done though and quite the tasty snack.

    Photos
    101 Grill & BBQ
    Salad with tri-tip, came with nice garlicy bread too
    Salad with tri-tip, came with nice garlicy bread too
    101 Grill & BBQ

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    Benbow Inn Restaurant - diners - Updated July 2026

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