Very good food i went around noon and got the Ruben and it was great i will def be back in the future

Went here for brunch as a party of four Saturday. We got a little pushback from the ladies at the front when we arrived but we were seated timely once our whole party arrived. Once we sat it took around 10 minutes for someone to take our drink orders and that's after we got up to let them know we hadn't been helped yet. Food came out fairly timely, however two of the four meals (both Benedict dishes) came out cold. Not luke warm, cold like they had been sitting while the other two dishes were cooked. Neither one of us wanted to wait for it to be remade so we just ate the meal without any fuss. Food had okay flavor, but probably would have tasted much better hot or even warm. I'd be interested in giving them another chance if I'm in the area, but probably wouldn't recommend the place to anyone to try. read more

We have bed. Here several times. Today we visited for Mothers Day. We had reservations and it was only a 15 minutes wait. We had the Lemon Blueberry Strata which is a must try. A greet second option to the Fresh Beignets which unfortunately are only available Monday. I had the Mimosa Spritz. It was delicious as I prefer mimosas without juice. A generous drink. I had the California skillet which was a delicious and healthier item on the menu. It was scrambled eggs atop potato pancakes. I opted for the side to be fresh fruit with the Hollandaise sauce on the side. The Hollandaise sauce was exceptionally light yet flavorful. My son had the Grilled Cheese Benedict which was delicious with bacon and the French bread was a perfect addition to the meal. His girlfriend had the Farmhouse Skillet which she enjoyed. Highly recommend!!! read more

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Went there with a client for lunch. I have been here a handful of times as it is convenient for those that work downtown. Though the food is good, nothing really stands out as being great. Though the service is always friendly and attentive, I feel that it might be a bit overpriced for an ordinary experience. read more

I was visiting a friend in the Chicago suburbs and we settled on Benedict's La Strata since it was near the train station and not as busy as other restaurants. The service was fine and as expected. The food was OK, too. I got a bratwurst sandwich. There were lots of side options but no options for fries which I found odd. I got kettle chips because fries weren't an option. [[HIGHLIGHT]]My only compliant is probably the cleanliness. The menu was extremely sticky. I actually struggled a bit to open the menu because it was stuck together. The table also seemed a bit unclean and wobbly.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] I don't think it's a place I would be a repeat customer at if I lived in the area but it's a fine option for breakfast if everything else is busy. read more

Great food service was good and [[HIGHLIGHT]]the only thing better was if the bears game was on all screens[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]]

Absolutely delicious. This place is popular for a reason and I'm so glad I got to try the food at Benedict's. I have a family friend who grew up in the area and she recommended Benedict's. The menu is extensive and there were actually a bunch of things I wanted to try. I ended up getting the lemon raspberry pancakes (mmmmm) and a signature wrap with potato salad. The food was delicious and filling. I recommend the pancake since it was very unique, light, and just the right amount of sweet. The potato salad was delicious and the wrap was quite good as well. My friends ordered the Desperado (cue Rihanna) and this mediterranean omelet with dates and goat cheese. Both were very good. I also liked how there was a small carafe of coffee on the table so that it was easy to refill without waiting for a waitress. Our waitress was very nice, knew the menu, and was professional and quick. We probably waited about 30minutes (on a Sunday during brunch) to be seated but there are plenty of stores to keep you busy. I definitely will return when I'm back in the area! read more

Benedict's La Strata - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Crystal Lake, Illinois

Great breakfast place! I may have had one of the best skillet breakfasts I've had in a long time (O'Leary skillet) Aside from the amazing flavors, it was served on a plate (not in a oversized skillet) but was a perfect size to enjoy there and have some leftovers. It was absolutely delicious! read more

The Chai latte was great, my brother in law enjoyed his eggs Benedict and crape. The chillaquillas, and veggie skillet were recommended and the red rooster hast. I would say the flavor of the red rooster was flavored well. Unfortunately the the eggs were dry and over cooked. I wished the presentation could have been better but hey. That was all the plates. Came in and my husband called out immediately the vibe was very off. 4 out of he 5 plates were cold. The fruit bowl that came with my plate was very old and soggy. My husbands chilaquiles plate was also not pleasant. Chips were very soggy and the chicken was dry. Chips are from a bag the We appreciated Tom to the Manager coming by to listen to the feedback he shared. We express the lack of attention to detail and the quality of food As we were leaving we were saying goodbye to the sever Liz and she walked right passed us and ignored us. We appreciated and enjoyed her although she may have been having a bad day. Not a restaurant I would ever come back to. At the end of the day I hope my Review isn't to put down but to be honest. Our local and native Chicago friend was disappointed when he left it open to the chef to make the best dish and he shared the quality and experience was very different as this was his family's favorite. Being from LA I've heard Chicago was known for its food! read more

Benedict's La Strata - Red Rooster Hash - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Crystal Lake, Illinois

The food always comes out fast and it's incredible. I haven't ordered anything here that I don't like. They also have great cocktails. The wait staff is always incredibly friendly and polite. The restaurant and the restroom are always incredibly clean. It can be a bit busy in the mornings on the weekends. I would definitely recommend, they also have an ever changing specials menu. I would give it five stars but it's getting four because I live too far away this spot is a real brunch winner though! read more

First time here. A bit dissapointed. We waited about 15 minutes for a waitress once ordered never seen her again. My wife's pancakes were brought out never offered butter or syrup! Waitress came back with a check. That was it. Won't be back especially for $70!! read more

Great breakfast & brunch spot with a cute outdoor patio area. Sometimes their dish-ware and tables can be dirty. So be aware of this before you take a drink or use their silverware. read more

I have been going to Benedicts for years and it never disappoints! My now adult children always request going to lunch there when they're in town for a visit. The food is consistently good and the service is wonderful. It's especially nice that a number of servers have been there for almost as long as I've been going. It feels like having lunch with friends. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The location is idea and while it is often crowded, we never wait long for a table especially since outdoor seating is usually an option.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] So happy to see you on DoorDash btw. read more

I have eaten many of time and it is still one of my favorite places to have breakfast or brunch Everything I have every tried has been great and the service is always amazing Must try read more

Came here for brunch. Food was good and our waitress was very friendly. We will be back when we are ever in the area again.

Try the pumpkin latte...you will not be disappointed. Great food, service, and portion sizes. Even when crowded, usually only a short wait for a table. Nice variety for breakfast or brunch. read more

Every time I have been here, which has been many times since I moved to the area, has been great! Friendly service, fantastic food and a lovely atmosphere. I highly recommend it! read more

Only thing I can say nice about this place is the food! Service is ok, they rush you to eat so you can get out quick. Also, I wasn't able to sit and wait for a friend until she came in. read more

Food is good! Service is good! But beware... They do not take gift cards that were bought before the new management took over which is against Illinois law! Had one that was about 2 ish years old and tried to use it and was told new management doesn't honor them! Left a very sour taste in my mouth. I assume that the new managers instructed them to do that because they know most people will not want to go through the hassle of them doing the right thing. Really nice when you got $100 gift card that they refused to honor! read more

I love this place , there are numerous menu items to choose from. I have had just about every benedict that they have , I have had the crepes, and some of their seasonal items , Very , very good . I also bike the fox river trial and frequent the Benedicts in East Dundee and that is just as good . read more

I dropped by Benedict's for the first time to have brunch with a friend and had a lovely meal here! I had the pomegranate orange juice, which was amazing, as well as a delicious lobster roll. I'm eager to return and try out their coffee and crepes, as well! Everything on their lengthy menu looked fabulous and the staff are so kind. read more

Best place for brunch!! Delicious love their Lobster Roll or Lobster salad. Every thing is fresh The ambience is so cute and country charming. Sometimes they may have a wait but not long and worth the wait. I'm from NY and a big foodie. This is like home. read more

Downtown Crystal Lake has some fun places to check out-- this is one of them. I've had Benedict's a few times now and every time, it's been a good experience. Both dining and and carrying out, my food (usually a wrap) has been prepared well and has tasted great. When carrying out, I did have a bit of a wait, but it was a busy afternoon. Speaking of which, this place can get busy, so if you're going at peak dining times, you may have to wait. What's nice, though, is if the dining area is too busy for your tastes, you can easily take your food to go and find a nice spot to sit in the beautiful downtown area. All in all, if I'm with friends and the menu for my other favorite restaurant (Dukes) isn't their taste, Benedict's La Strata is my go-to suggestion! read more

Benedict's La Strata - California Melt - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Crystal Lake, Illinois

Utterly fantastic creative menu attentive service [[HIGHLIGHT]]wonderful atmosphere[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]]. 5 starts

My new favorite brunch spot! I got the Reuben sandwich and corn beef hash on the side. Hubby got grilled cheese benny. Everything was DELICIOUS!!!!! Finished our plates to the last crumb. The waitress was accommodating as well! Mimosa's were the best part! Coming back soon! read more

Benedict's La Strata - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Crystal Lake, Illinois

Love their freshly cooked beignets. My sons ordered OLearys Skillet and Benedict ElFuego and managed to take a bite out of both meal and they were both tasty, rather superb. I wish I could say that for the pancake though. They were dry to our taste even with all the toppings. read more

My wife and I had some business in Crystal Lake's charming 'old section' and decided to have breakfast here figuring it would be the same as the Benedict's in Dundee (same owner's until recently). The Benedict's in Dundee has never failed to be a pleasant experience. Wow. The breakfast here in Crystal Lake was genuinely terrible. And I mean *terrible*. I ordered the fancy oatmeal and my wife ordered some quiche and coffee (Note: for some reason the coffee isn't priced on the menu. And it isn't free.). OMG!! I took a few bites of the oatmeal and grimaced. My wife reached over with a spoon and took a taste and her reaction was perfectly accurate: "It's like glue!" I took my fork and tasted her quiche. "And you're eating cardboard!" It was like we were kids in a nursery school eating the day's project. So there you have it. Good service but pretty nasty food. We got a kick out of the 90 minute peak time stay limit. Sure, we get that, but it was surprising since we couldn't figure out how anybody's stomach could run out that clock. read more

Benedict's La Strata - LOL. Both of our stomachs rumbled "Nooooo!" - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Crystal Lake, Illinois

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Stopped coming here a few of years ago because their prices were getting higher and their service was going down. They may not have enough servers, but that doesn't stop them from using non-patio outdoor seating. Food is decent so maybe local takeout is the way to go. Our last visit was no surprise, and confirmed our lack of interest of going there any further. Took 10 minutes after seating before we could order drinks, but ordered food along with it since we had plenty of time to review. I was okay with that, and fully understanding. The food came out, but was missing some items, thankfully the guy who delivered the food brought us what was missing plus syrup, and ketchup. Thankfully we asked him, as we didn't see our server again until the bill came. Saw the server 3 times, at order, at drink delivery, then at the time of bill. Meanwhile as I looked around, most of the time saw no other staff around helping people. I believe it's a case of being understaffed, but those prices are high enough that you would think they could be paying staff more to get more staff. I think there's hope for them, but not without some staffing help. read more

Expensive, and very ordinary. Service was good, we sat outside and that was good, ordered two mimosas and a bloody nary, they were wretched. The champagne must have been yesterdays Andre's and the juice was badly mixed from concentrate, icky. Bloody Mary had enough vegetable matter and on black pepper to completely hide the taste of anything else. Sandwiches had grand names but were basically nothing and the cheese soup was from a packet that certainly needed more water and more time on the stove. Ineptly cooked Knorr comes to mind. Sides , potato salad and macaroni salad were abysmal not even salt in quantity could help them. We did have nice meals there in the past but this is not worth 62.00 + 20%. Actually not worth the drive. Sorry. read more

I had been craving blueberry pancakes since Terri and I watched "Pulp Fiction" last weekend. I found myself in Crystal Lake and based on the positive reviews here on Yelp (thanks Yelpers), I felt I would be good to give Benedict's a try. As another reviewer mentioned, Benedict's serves Chicago's Intelligentsia coffee, which would cause even a discriminating coffee drinker like Mr. Wolf to raise his cup in salute. I seldom have my coffee as Winston does with "lots of cream and lots of sugar", but I do indulge a little dab of cream in my java, which at Benedict's is REAL cream instead of some chemical mess. As luck would have it- they had some amazing seasonal creations on the menu, such as: Strawberry Cheese Cake French Toast, Pretzel Pancakes and Chocolate Waffle with Strawberries (see photo) but I stuck to my guns (difficult) and ordered the blueberry pancakes, which "hit the spot" (as Jules might say). The hostess and wait staff were excellent as "Buddy Holley"- and it was very much appreciated that there was a pot of that great coffee on my table rather than having to wait for refills. I would say overall that this was a delicious and enjoyable choice for breakfast- I'd suggest that you give Benedict's a try when you are in the area. I will be back and will bring Terri ("Honey Bunny") with me so we can order 2 different things and share, also known as eating off of the other person's plate! read more

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One of my fav places for brunch. Service is okay but food is good. They need to bring back the quinoa pancakes though. I like how they have outdoor seating. Breakfast Tacos are really good. read more

Nice little breakfast and lunch spot. The portions are decent and the menu is well constructed.

Awesome. Delicious. Fast. Awesome. Yummy. Awesome. Lol. I live hours away from here and I've literally been given gift cards for when I'm around because I love them so much. Their servers are always sweet and on top of everything. I love their coffee. I typically get coffee at restaurants when I go out for breakfast but it tastes like that normal old bland hotel free coffee. This place actually has super good coffee! And they have a really cool tea pot thing you get when you order tea. It's awesome. It pours out of the bottom haha. Another cool thing about this place is I feel like it has options for people with dietary restrictions. And they also have random stuff that's different than normal places like organic ketchup and that type of thing. Aside from all that their food is always delicious. I've never had something I didn't like! read more

Benedict's La Strata - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Crystal Lake, Illinois

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i had a very good experience here! excellent service and food. i stopped by for brunch and ordered the portobello wrap. the wrap came out pretty quickly, considering they were fairly busy around lunchtime! unfortunately, i accidentally forgot to order my wrap without cheese; however, i was able to have it remade and it was delicious! i appreciate that they took it back even though i was the one who had forgotten to ask for it without cheese initially. the bathrooms were also clean and the food tasted very fresh. overall a wonderful experience thag i would recommend and i will definitely be back soon:) read more

Benedict's La Strata - Portabella Wrap - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Crystal Lake, Illinois

At first glance this place looks old fashioned from the outside apperance. However, once you walk inside the atmosphere totally changes. I think it's a super cute breakfast place with something on the menu for everyone. I got the build your own omlette and it was made to perfectio Plus, they have white claws! read more

Benedict's La Strata - English Muffin, Fruit, Build your own Omlette and a Raspberry White Claw - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Crystal Lake, Illinois

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My friends and I eat at Benedict's every time we're back in town. We've eaten both brunch and lunch during our meet-ups, and totally love both! My omelette was pretty good, but my salad was amazing! Also, they have one of my favorite bloody mary's EVER. I highly recommend trying it if you know you love bloody mary's, or have never tried and want to experience a great one! It's got a little kick of spice, which makes it so great. I also recommend getting the sweet tea, and they serve it in the cutest glass jars. The atmosphere and small details such as that just add to the overall experience. Oh, and if it's not too hot outside, I suggest sitting in the outside patio area! It's a great spot on a beautiful day. However, on a really hot day, it's better to sit inside. It can get pretty humid in the screened porch, even with the fans going. read more

Benedict's La Strata - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Crystal Lake, Illinois

Good service even tho it was Sunday food tasty had the seared tuna sandwich which was very good

I personally love their food. The weight staff is mainly really nice. The management staff is mainly extremely rude and sometimes there's a quality control issue, but if you hit them on a good day and order a good meal, you'll have a good time. Their prices are a bit high for the quantity of food that you get. read more

If you want the best breakfast and lunch in McHenry County, look no further. This place is amazing. I've been here many times and it is always impressive. Large menu has lots of vegetarian options. Try the two scrambled eggs with pot roast. It was incredible. What a fantastic idea..! The Belgium waffle is perfect. The coffee drinks are great and they have a bar, so try a delicious Irish mule or Irish coffee. read more

It was ok. I think the best thing was the hollandaise with capers. The omelette was ok. It was pretty expensive for breakfast. But perhaps it's the location. The coffee smelled like diner coffee which tends to have that diner flavor if you know what I mean. I changed my mind and asked for three decaf shots but she brought me a latte. I just wanted the shots with some chocolate. I drank it tho. It was just ok. Overall, it was...ok. read more