Terrible. Everything done wrong and pretentious. Extremely over priced for bad food. Turtle soup tastes like ragu. Everything tastes canned or microwaved. 90 dollar bill wasn't worth 9 dollars. The owner should be ashamed read more

My family has been coming here since I can remember. Holds many great memories and food to go with it, never disappoints! I always get haddock al a foley (usually have to ask the chef if they don't mind using haddock instead of halibut) and of course bender fries. Highly recommend and plan on coming here for many more years! read more

Excellent service from all, food is great both seafood and steaks, salad, etc.. Great atmosphere, a must when downtown Canton..,

The team at Bender's is wonderful. I accidentally bought a giftcard as a gift thinking the restaurant was close to my brother's house. It wasn't anyway nearby. First they identified the potential issue and emailed me to ask me about it. Then, they refunded the money! Many businesses would not go the extra mile to correct a customer error! Thank you Bender's team!! read more

The best place for seafood in Stark County.

If you are visiting you have to try this Canton institution. Turtle soup is amazing. The seafood is consistently great. And be sure to get a Spring Tonic from the bar. read more

Recent dinner with family on Saturday night-had appetizers of scallops, calamari and the California morels-all were poorly presented and had no flavor and were skimpy. Highly disappointed as this place is touted to be Canton's oldest and finest. Main courses of flounder seemed like they could have been served at McDonalds and equally presented and as minimally tasty. The only redeeming food were the sides of Bender's fries and the turtle soup. So disappointing and overpriced. read more

While the food at Benders is excellent, they are a cheap restaurant. They charge for refills and salad dressing which is insulting for what they charge. Two steaks bake potatoes and salads was $50, they wanted $3 for a shot glass of pop. Doesn't seem worth loosing a customer over this sillyness. read more

Benders is a Canton landmark. Fish, red meat, pastas, it is a solid place to go to celebrate. I have been going there, maybe once every 2-3 months, for over 40 years. I love the dark oak, art deco atmosphere. I have never experienced anything but courteous service. I have had delicious meals there but, and this is the reason why 4 starts instead of 5, I have had really lousy food there also. I had a prime rib that was mostly fat. I had fish that tasted "off." So, I'll be back, but I would like to see things become a little more consistent in the kitchen. read more

Have eaten here many times and had amazing meals. Hadn't been there for over a year so we took a group last Saturday night . Our party ranged in age from 16-75. This visit was overall disappointing. It's probably our fault for going at a busy time, but things were not up to par. We had told the younger folks in the group (ages 16, 18, 24) how cool this place was and how it stuck to it's original decor. They found it dingy and outdated, both in decor and menu offerings They liked the wood paneling, beautiful bar and marble walls, but while we we waiting, they did point out many things that needed updating...the barstools which were worn and dirty, the worn carpet, the awful color the dining room is painted, the glass case at the bar which seems to be a catch all for junk... so this place asks the question: what is tradition and what is neglect? The main dining room had no music playing and was so loud that even the teenagers said they couldn't hear a thing. Our server had to bend down right next to us to hear. Again, probably our fault for going at a peak time, but I've been in sports bars less noisy. The menu has changed little over the years, but if you're going to claim so many "classic dishes" it's important you do them right every time. Those at our table who ordered fish all said it was excellent. Three of us ordered crab cakes which were way over cooked and dark brown. The bed of rice they came on was undercooked, so occasionally you bit into some hard , crunchy piece of rice. The portion size was good. Many of us ordered the Bender fries, which are just basically home fries not separated. All of these were at room temperature and we left most of them on our plate uneaten. The service was good and friendly, but ultimately the meal and atmosphere was a letdown. It will be interesting to see how such a traditional restaurant survives in years to come. The younger ones at our table said they'd never want to go back. Is that a lack of appreciation for traditional cuisine and old decor, or is it that we are clinging to something that has had a better day? read more

"Canton's Oldest and Finest" hands down. If you can only eat in one place in Canton, it has to be Bender's.

I was in Canton 2x in July for business...had great meals at Bender's every time. Was back last week, Wednesday night, my scallops (from the chef's specials towards bottom of the menu) came out lukewarm while my dinner companions both had fried fish that was piping hot. The scallops were tasty just not hot, which is unacceptable at Bender's price point. I'll try again next time I'm in town but this experience caused me to not return last Thursday night. Also, waiter wore out the phrase "young man" to all 3 of us at the dinner table. We were older than him so "sir" would do just fine. Next time, I'll ask to sit in Nick's section. read more

I'm sort of speechless. Had the strangest dining experience ever. Upon entering you are ignored. Having never been there We didn't know you have to go through the bar to get in the restaurant. Employees never made eye contact. When I finally found the host who was at a laptop he didn't even make eye contact or smile. We were seated and a nice boy gave us water and bread. That was it for 20 minutes! I watched others come in and get seated and greeted by name and "I'll be right with you Frank!". Meanwhile NO one even looked at us. Servers busily walked past to prepare a room for a party who hadn't even arrived yet! I had to ASK if we had a server. My first and last visit. We felt invisible! We almost left. The food was good but it was my birthday and it was ruined. Turns out management did not have a server assigned to our table. Good going. You get better service at mulligans and the food is just about as good. They have someone right at the door who greets you and acts like they are happy to have you. Still stunned. I hate to write bad reviews but I hope their management reads this. Manager should have apologized at least. Our server Penny really went overboard trying to make up for it but she shouldn't have to. She was the best part of the night. read more

We had a gift card from Christmas and decided to go tonight. I called ahead to get a reservation. I assumed that there would not be a problem getting a table. I was told that there were no seats to reserve, but we could eat in the bar area. When we arrived I was pleasantly surprised to find they reserved a table for us. We had the nicest waitress in the entire world. Told us many things about items on the menu. Many things are made in house and seafood if never frozen and is flown in every third day. I ordered the scallops that were on special (I think $31, came with 2 sides) with fresh green beans and portabella mushrooms, and a simple mixed greens salad. My scallops were AMAZING. There portion sizes more than what I thought we would get. Husband ordered the prime rib, which he said was fantastic. Came with two sides too, ordered benders fries (which are thinly sliced potatoes fried in lard. i did not think they were amazing, they were just good.) Also got a salad with red blue cheese (mixture of their homemade french dressing and blue cheese crumbles). Also, came with dinner rolls. Husband also ordered their famous turtle soup. It camp with a shot of sherry. It was sweet, hearty and satisfying. Waitress told us there is molasses in there. What a satisfying meal. Bill was around $85 for two entrees, turtle soup, and one adult beverage! Great meal, great ambience and great service! We will definitely return! read more

What a great place. Service, ambiance. Food and drink. The two fish dinners we ordered were cooked to perfection. We will be back.

No doubt a Canton landmark for many years. The turtle soup is decent, worth trying once but not sure if I'd get it again. I have has various steaks and seafood dishes over the years here and I think I will stick with seafood from now on. Whenever I go that route I am always pleased with my meal. The steaks are good too, but not the same caliber as the seafood. It's a fine dining restaurant with an old town feel to it. Drinks are always good and the service has been great. This is not a "regular" type of place, but a few times a year for a nice night out. read more

Came her on the advice of the hotel and it was a great call. Our server, Mary, was amazing. I had the wild Alaskan salmon and it was great - the tomato salad was divine. A little pricey but well worth it. read more

The first time at benders tavern and what can I say, it was horrible.Lets make a list of all things that where bad. 1.Chair was broke. 2.Bread was cold. 3.No Michelob 4.Waiter didn't care if we liked the food. 5.Only four lobsters. 6.Lobster was under cooked. 7.Lobster Bisque only had three pieces of lobster and to much cream. 8.The fries were overly greasey. 9.The chicken marsala was a very small portion for the money. 10.We asked for a long island ice tea the way its supossed to be made and the waiter said it had to be made the owners way with rum and triple sec and WHO SAYS THAT TO A CUSTOMER!! 11.The pomegranated martini was too sour. 12.Had a dozen mussels and some were missinand the waiter said that it happens and he never said I will get you a few more, for the money he should have made an effort to make us happy. 13.Tabled wobbled 14.The place was a little dirty/ they need to do some DEEP CLEANING!!!!!!!! 15. The best thing the owners could do is HIRE A BETTER CHEF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and DO SO SOME RENOVATIONS. 16.My faimly and I go to many place to eat different foods and even out of the state to just eat lunch and this was about the third worst place I have ever ate and the services was bad. 17. I would never recommend Benders tavern to anyone. 18.The owners need Robert Irvine's help and so does the chef. The turtle soup was good,but a little less nutmeg The warm bacon dressing was good The fish was good, but the crab stuffing was bad. When making it dont use canned crab. The dessert was great Captian morgan and coke was good The spinach salad was good, but leave the egg off. read more

I went here tonight with my family for a celebratory dinner. We had heard locals rave about Benders, and thought, "no time like the present!" The restaurant is nicely decorated, and with high ceilings and some marble walls, it definitely says, "classy". The food was good. Not great, but certainly not bad. But the service was sub-par. Not just below what I'd expect from a restaurant of Benders' reputation, but below what I'd expect at Applebee's. Our server was an older gentleman who had no knowledge of the wines, needing to return to the bar for each question. I don't expect full knowledge of a wine list as detailed as Benders', but basic knowledge of the 8 or so wines by the glass shouldn't be too much to ask for. We had to ask several times for my wife's Diet Pepsi, and my son's milk also took longer than it should have. Our server was nowhere to be found once the food was served, so our request for lemon went unheeded. When I asked to have a baked potato with my sea bass, he told me it came with salad. Since the menu stated that any of the chef's specials (under which my sea bass was listed) came with a choice of one side, including salad, baked potato, veggies, etc., I asked for a baked potato. He asked me if I wanted to change to the other sea bass dish on the menu. No, I didn't, and finally he noted my baked potato request. I know that one server is not necessarily representative of the level of service in the restaurant, but I can only evaluate what I experience. As for the food, I enjoyed my roasted sea bass on a bed of hummus (never seen that before, but it worked) with Brussels sprouts and my son's chicken fingers were "really good!" (His words, though I got a chance to sneak a taste and they were good) My wife's steak (Texas Sirloin) came out a bit overdone, (she ordered mid-well, and it was well done) but was tasty (but we've had better tasting and better prepared steaks at any of the chain steakhouses in town). My father's steak (also the Texas Sirloin) came out at the right temperature, and he reported that it was good. My mother enjoyed her scallops as well. The desserts were quite good, with one exception. I loved my white chocolate bread pudding, my wife's warm blueberry pie was great and my mother liked her creme brûlée. My son tried the flourless chocolate cake. It was horrible! I know it's gluten free, but I have had many flour-free chocolate cakes that are quite good. This wasn't one of them. The cake tasted like bittersweet baking chocolate and cocoa powder, not good. Overall, it was a nice dinner, but I can't really understand the fuss about this place. The food was good, not great, and for the price, I expect great, not good. I also expect the level of service to match the atmosphere, and Benders fell short here as well. Maybe it's a place to be seen in Canton, but I'll be seen elsewhere if today was representative of what I can expect in the future. read more

After visiting the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio we searched for a good local restaurant serving quality food at reasonable prices. We found Benders Tavern and were very glad we did. They are the "Oldest and Finest Restaurant in Canton". Well, maybe the oldest, but probably not the finest. This is best as a seafood restaurant, although they do serve decent meat choices. My wife had the Flounder Stuffed with Crabmeat which was moist, tasty and plentiful. It was accompanied with the Bender Fries, which was really a tasty potato pancake. I had the prime ribeye steak which was just adequate. The broiler was simply not hot enough to get the outside seared, yet leave the inside very pink. I would certainly recommend a visit to this family owned restaurant, instead of one of the many chains in the area. read more

Dined here recently with a hobby group as the group's guest. I love the history associated with the restaurant; loved looking at the architectural details and imagining what it was like to eat and drink there in early 1900's. Our service was excellent as the waitstaff was very professional and knowledgeable about the menu, not to mention welcoming. So for the history, building, and service I would give a 5. The food was a different story, though. Like several other reviewers, I was also underwhelmed, especially for the prices listed. The dinner salad was drowning in dressing, bread and rolls just average, my baked potato was cold and not done! The salmon was not any better or different than what one can buy at a better grocery store or fish market. Overall, very disappointed with my meal. I am just glad I didn't have to pay for it ( a guest of a group) I won't be back anytime soon, if at all. read more

Very impressive! The old building is beautiful, service is excellent, and the food is delicious and not too expensive (we came for lunch). I had the swordfish with hummus and Brussels sprouts, and I definitely recommend it. It's the only restaurant I've been to in Canton, but I can't imagine there is a better restaurant in the area. read more

I come to Canton every year and I never miss eating here. 10 years running and I would rate my meal as good or excellent every year. Normally I wouldn't trust the seafood in Ohio being excellent but it is here. read more

New to area and our first time here. Crab meat appetizer was very good. Raw oysters were good but small. My swordfish was slightly overcooked but delicious nonetheless. One serving of the white chocolate bread pudding was not enough! Service was excellent... read more

My friend and I thought this restaurant was awesome! The food and martinis were amazing. Our waitress Pat was beyond attentive, personable, and she made the Bender Tavern experience even better! Not sure if I'll ever visit Canton again, but if I do I would certainly visit Benders Tavern again and ask for Ms. Pat. Oh! And coming from DC, the prices were very reasonable! read more

Planned my parent's 40th Anniversary at Bender's - best choice I could have ever made. Jon made is easy to plan from the start. I live in California and he was a huge help during the entire process. Everything was perfect from the room set up, the ambiance, the food, the bar, the staff down to the parking. Penny, the lead bartender, and her staff were absolutely fabulous. They took customer service to the next level - top notch! Couldn't have asked for more. I highly recommend Benders for any, and all, of your special events in the Canton area. read more

Very nice atmosphere and good food. Had soft shell crabs and Morel mushrooms and can't imagine anything better. Not much else in downtown that can match this. read more

First visit on Jan. 2nd 2014 & will definitely visit again! I chose the restaurant for a special occasion based on reviews & it was fantastic! I am craving the George Banks Sea Scallops again & the lightly breaded & fried oyster appetizer..yum!! The atmosphere is warm & inviting with beautiful original architectural details reflecting it's history. Our server was Penny..what a lovely lady! Top notch service made for a perfect evening! It was well worth the 30 minute drive after a snowstorm. I would brave the elements over & over for a meal at Bender's Tavern!! read more

My business luncheon partner took me here for lunch. I can't wait to come back for dinner some evening! You don't find many places with history and atmosphere. The service was good (I forgot our servers name) She was attentive without being annoying. She talked me into the turtle soup...it was good. I followed it up with the daily special chicken tender pecan salad. Fresh and tasty!! Love at first bite!! read more

Have eaten here many times, and the food is always excellent. I do, however, have one small bone to pick. At a first class restaurant, when one wishes to take food home, the waiter removes the diner 's plate and returns with the leftovers neatly packaged. At Benders', they toss a styrofoam container on the table and you're on your own! Not classy, Benders'! read more

The oldest restaurant in canton ohio is still standing strong. The food was very good at a reasonable price. An appitizer, dessert , and drinks are included in the entree. The seafood was very good. read more

Terrible. Service was awful. My wife ordered a pasta dish and the lady said there would be sausage in the pasta. Guess what... it was shrimp. My wife doesn't eat seafood! I ordered an iceberg wedge and was served plain lettuce with a knife stuck in it. My pork chops were thin and disgusting. Had to use A1 sauce just to scarf it down. read more

Great food and very reasonable prices. The service was outstanding, our servers were as good as I have ever had, I will definitely be back and recommend Benders to anyone I know. read more

We will never go back. A Terrible experience! We ordered Sea Bass and were brought Swordfish instead, and the server said they cut the Sea Bass thin, so that's why it looks like swordfish. So the owner came out, and again said the chef cut the Sea Bass thin. He just wanted to argue with us, like we were stupid. He then brought out a tray of raw Sea Bass from the kitchen to show us, and it looked like sea bass should, nice and thick. He also told us that the Sea Bass shrinks when it's cooked. It didn't shrink, it was thin and almost circular in shape. Well we knew better, we've both been eating Sea Bass for over 18 years, and to order a $37.00 Sea Bass and get Swordfish instead is completely unacceptable. It was Swordfish. If we wanted swordfish, we would have ordered it. There's a huge difference between both fish, and it's very easy to know the difference. The owner doesn't know what Swordfish or Sea Bass looks like after being cooked??! How long has he been the owner? Also, never order the Caesar salad for $8, all you get is 3 leaves of lettuce. Pretty ridiculous! Definitely not worth dining here for seafood! Spend your money somewhere else. Crave in Akron has an awesome Sea Bass. If you're looking for great Seafood, go to Akron or Cleveland. read more

my experience was quite UNDESIREABLE. it started with bad seating when the restaurant was empty. but this was only the beginning. our buns with our salad were day old and over microwaved. then our waiter was uninformed and knew nothing about the dishes on the menu. but the ultimate discussed was the a dead bug or spider in our bread bowl napkin for which the manager actually argued was melted napkins from the microwave. oh well they did give me a free dessert. (IT FIT IN A SHOT GLASS) I did not expect a free meal by ANY means. It was my girlfriends birthday and I did expect to have a pleasant experience. Our dinner was a huge disappointment.and the manager only wanted to argue. read more

First visit, large menu, wide choice of seafood for an inland establishment. End of soft shell crab season, had to have them. Price was $17+ for the appetizer portion (1). I opted for the entree assuming serving would be dinner portion. Two crabs were presented both small but one much smaller. would have been less expensive to order 2 appetizers. good but very small ( too small to harvest?) . Turtle soup so so, pricey. bread good. Our server recommended the tomato salad and spinach. spinach was good, warm dressing. tomato was underwhelming and grossly overpriced. 2 thin tomato slices cut earlier in the day with one leaf lettuce, looked more like a display garnish ready for composting. the benders fries were the best, not to be missed but do ask for onions if you like them. A dollop of cottage cheese or sour cream would have taken them over the top. The haddock portion was modest. it was the best preparation, perfectly cooked, kudos to the chef. desserts were so so, bourbon pie and blueberry crumb, although more choices than might be expected were offered. if a dessert display were presented probably would not have selected these. A very nice long drink, "little Chicago" lasted all dinner, it was great. I wish I could have finished it. our server decided to clear our table and my unfinished drink! yes we would go back! First time ordering mistakes. Usually we do a"stroll" about to wash hands but really to check out what is being served in a new place. Benders has been in canton a long time and the prices were elevated but if gems like Benders don't survive the test of time, what will be left? Tell them what they do well, let them know what could be improved. And parking was free! read more